MINISTRY OF HEALTH ANNEXE

HEALTH SCIENCES EDUCATION

Medical Extension Officer Training Programme

Topic: What are the roles of the medex in a community?

Group 3 members:

Shireen Browne Vidiana Mohan

Jonathan Marques Jessica La Cruz

Sarah Amsterdam Glynda Charlie

 ROLES OF A MEDEX

INTRODUCTION

A Medical Extension Officer (medex) also known as a physician assistant or physiciant associate (PA)
is a health care professional who performs tasks mostly related to level II of the primary health care
system, with particular reference to the community and preventative services. While these job titles
are used globally, there is significant diversity in training and scope of practice between countries.
Depending on the locale PAs may practice semi-autonomously under the supervision of a physician or
independently execute a subset of medical services traditionally given by the physicians. Not only is
the medex who gives medicines, but he or she is someone who encourages, guides and empowers
members of the community.

According to the Medex Act of 1978, a medex plays the following roles in a community:

1. Perform duties as a supervisor, whereby he or she oversees and supervises the other staff
members. A medex also help to coordinate the work of all team members to ensure quality
health care is provided. As a supervisor, a medex also educate the staff members on updated
health information through workshops then charge them to immediately commence their
duties in the community.

2. Enlighten the members of the community on the promotion of health generally and the
prevention of diseases. In this case, a medex is responsible in organizing workshops, small
group health talks, planning small scale community outreaches and home visitations to
promote health as it relates to nutrition, personal hygiene, mental, emotional and physical
health, sexually transmitted diseases and preventative, as well as family planning.

- By doing home visitations, the medex not only observes the environment of the community
but can use these observations as reference to highlight various health hazards to the public.
Also praises can be given to the healthy things the members are already doing.
- The medex can organize small groups for health talks such as adolescent groups, elderly
groups, men’s health group and even chronic diseases group.
He or she can then do health talks accordingly e.g. In an adolescent health group topics such
as puberty, career choices healthy diet and safe sex practices can be discussed.
- A small scale community outreach can be planned based on the needs of the community
members. This can include basic vital check ups such as blood pressure check ups, random
blood sugar testing, as well as pulse, temperature, and respiration rate. Whoever is found at
risk can be treated or sent for further management.
Through all the above mentioned activities, many diseases can be prevented. There will lower
risks of transmitting contractions, lower cases of anaemic mothers and a healthier population.
3. Administer pre-natal and post-natal care and educate members of the public on routine child
care. In this situation a medex administers:

i) Pre-natal care to the expectant mothers by:

a) Encouraging mothers to eat a right diet that is healthy for her and the baby.
b) Giving he mothers the vitamins or pre-natal tablets and treating infections, e.g. urinary
tract infections.
c) Correctly measuring their height of fundas, presentation of the fetus, fetal heart rate and
referral if there is any danger sign.
 d) Preparing the mothers for the delivery by educating them on what to expect when the
labour has begun and the items needed.

ii) Post-natal care basically means care given after 24 hours after the delivery. until 6 weeks.
Therefore a medex is expected to educate mothers on danger signs.

iii) Routine child care refers to the care given to infants from birth to 5 years, that is making
sure babies are fully breast fed (exclusive breast feeding), all milestones are achieved, all clinical
visits are attended, and making sure they are fully immunized (birth to 3 years 9 months)

4. Diagnose and control certain ailments such as common cold, worm infestation, scabies, ring
worm, tetanus and many more and also identifying such ailments as needs referral to the
supervising medical practitioner or in an emergency directly to the hospital. Cases such as
febrile seizures can be referred.

5. Perform normal deliveries and identify abnormalities which needs referral to the supervising
medical practitioner or to the hospital.
Breech presentation would be referred as well as high blood pressure in pregnancy.

6. A medex can also register births, sign death certificates, sign police forms and sign sick leave
in absence of a doctor. It is also a role of a medex to keep up to date records of drugs and
other supplies received and issued.

7. Keep daily records of:

- the number of patients evacuated or treated in any given period of time.

- any type of disease encountered can be recorded to be inspected periodically by the Ministry
of Health staff.
- patients allergic reactions. If a patient record is incomplete, he or she will remain at risk of
inappropriately receiving the same or a cross-reacting drug again, sometimes with
catastrophic consequences. Patients are often left bewildered following a suspected allergic
reaction to a drug. Most drug allergies cause minor skin rashes and hives. These symptoms
may occur right away or hours after receiving the drug. Drug allergies can also be associated
with low blood counts. Therefore patients record must be up to date with all the necessary
information written therein.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, a medex oversees daily operations to refine and optimize processes and systems in the
primary level II health care system. A medex ensure that all records are up to date and have the
necessary information written therein as it relates to the drugs received and issued, patients record and
many more. He or she also helps team members to reach their full potential in providing quality health
care to the members of the community. Lastly, a medex role is to communicate with the members of
the community on the well being and health of each member, in order for them to live a healthy
lifestyle.
References

en.m.wikipedia.org

Medex Act of 1978