Good news for women’s health care on island. The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) said today that as of Monday March 2, 2020, it has put in place a resident specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OB/GYN), to the ministry’s complement of doctors.
Dr. Lanval Joseph Daly launched the OB/GYN service on Monday and has already begun to receive patients this week, said a release from the Government Information Unit.
The new service will initially run as short regular sessions, from March until July 2020, during which time Dr. Daly will be transitioning from his previous post in Canada. The transition period also enables the service to be setup for full-time operation, starting in July.
Women on Montserrat have been without a resident OB/GYN for more than a decade, relying on sporadic specialist visits or time-consuming and expensive trips to Antigua or further afield for women’s health services.
Dr Daly brings more than 40 years of experience, having started as a medical doctor in Montserrat in 1972.
As the islands’ resident Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, the physician will support the Ministry of Health’s efforts to deliver high-quality and effective person-centred care. He is tasked with reviewing and strengthening clinical pathways in maternal and child care, and updating clinical protocols and guidelines, adapting international and regional best practices to the Montserrat health system.
He will also be consulting with the Physician Specialist and Surgeons regarding all admissions to the Female Ward involving women’s health issues. His role includes a wide range of responsibilities, to include:
- Conducting outpatient clinics to include High Risk Clinic; Maternal Clinic; Adolescent Clinic and Well Women Clinic at both Primary and Secondary Health Care;
- Working closely with other staff to develop and maintain systems that improve patient safety and minimize the risk of adverse outcomes;
- Improving screening programmes for conditions affecting women (breast cancer, cervical cancer etc.);
- Participating and initiating continuing education sessions for health colleagues and nurses;
- Developing the island’s protocols for the management of Gynaecological and Obstetric conditions, and
- Identifying resources required to deliver Gynaecological and Obstetric programmes, among others.
Permanent Secretary in the MoHSS, Camille Thomas-Gerald views Dr. Daly’s appointment as a major milestone for Montserrat’s health care services. “This is a huge and vital step forward for women’s healthcare in Montserrat. Before the introduction of this service, half the population had no regular, easy or affordable access to an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist.
We are excited to now have this on island for the benefit of our population and our medical system. This is but one step in a broad and wide ranging strategic programme of health system development. We’re looking at other additional services and technologies to be added in due course,” stated Mrs. Thomas-Gerald.
This on-island OB/GYN service is expected to have a significant impact to the lives of the female population and improve the level and quality of health care services provided on Montserrat.
Anyone wishing to see Dr. Daly can be referred through both their private doctor and the free doctors at the community clinics. Community health centre doctor’s schedule details for consultations can be found here: http://discovermni.com/about-montserrat/live-here/health-care/
