By Kurt Campbell
Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday said no study is needed to justify the government’s commitment to improving the delivery of healthcare across the country, even as he zeroed in on the master plan for improving healthcare infrastructure.
And so, he clarified that according to the master plan, a total of 12 new modern hospitals are to be built and millions of dollars more will be spent to upgrade another six existing health facilities.
“It’s not six hospitals, it’s actually 12 new hospitals and possibly another six hospitals for substantial rehabilitation,” Jagdeo said during a party press conference from Freedom House, Robb Street, Georgetown.
In keeping with the question that invited his comment on the health master plan, Jagdeo said it was a pre- 2020 manifesto promise that monies from oil and gas will be spent on modernizing infrastructure, healthcare, education, support for vulnerable groups and other industries and saving for the future.
“We did not wait until we got back into government, we outlined where we will spend resources.
“We believe if you have healthy people, educated people, if you have a diversified economy, that even in the post oil and gas era, the country will continue to do very well,” Jagdeo posited even as he reiterated the dire need for supporting vulnerable groups of citizens – women, children and the elderly.
And so, in keeping with the promise to redefine primary healthcare provision, the government is focused on making it easier for people to not only access healthcare but be provided with the highest quality service.
REGIONAL HOSPITALS
Among the 12 new hospitals to be constructed are six replacement facilities. In these cases it was found that the existing facilities can no longer efficiently respond to the needs to the population in those specific areas. For each of these six replacement hospitals, an average of US$30 million will be spent.
- The government is constructing a brand-new hospital at No. 75 Village, Region Six which will replace the current Skeldon Hospital and provide a wider range of services.
- In Region Five, a new hospital is being constructed at Bath Settlement, reducing the need for residents there to travel outside of the region for basic services.
- Then there is the construction of the Enmore Regional Hospital along the East Coast of Demerara, Region Four. After construction, the nearby polyclinic will be closed and all treatment moved to the new facility.
- Also in Region Four, on the East Bank of Demerara, the Little Diamond Regional Hospital is being constructed to support the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.
- The government will also construct a modern hospital at De Kinderen, Region Three to facilitate the growing population. Region Three is now the second most populous region after Region four.
- And there is one Lima Regional Hospital in Region Two for which substantial progress has been made on construction. This will support the aged hospital at Suddie.
“Each of these hospitals will have several operating theaters and a whole range of services that current the hospitals can’t provide in a modern environment.
“You don’t need a study to improve quality of healthcare, we know the level of services we want to provide,” Jagdeo said.
NEW HINTERLAND HOSPITALS
Four new hospitals will be constructed in hinterland regions – 1, 7, 8 and 9.
With dozens of telemedicine sites already established in hinterland communities, Jagdeo said these four hospitals at Kamarang, Moruca, Lethem and Kato will also be more of telemedicine type of hospitals.
The new feature will allow medical personnel in the hinterland to get real time assistance from specialists stationed in Georgetown and even abroad, bridging the gap between the hinterland and coastland.
“This will bring great diagnostic capabilities to people of those regions, it will cut down the need to medivac people and we can do more complex diagnosing of patients without need to have personnel present in the region.
TWO MORE
Construction started last year on the Paediatric and Maternal Hospital, at Ogle, East Coast Demerara.
In a bid to offer specialized care, this hospital is expected to comprise operating theatres, a paediatric Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and an obstetrics department.
“This one for women and children, no justification is needed for that as we seek improve infant and maternal mortality… it will also allow for complex operations for women and children to be done… the Georgetown Hospital is overcrowded.
And the most recent sod turning occurred for a new Hospital at New Amsterdam in Region Six.
This hospital is expected to be a five-level facility and a premier healthcare institution in Berbice and by extension Guyana.
The structure will include a minimum of five operating theatres – one specifically for cardiac surgery – and advanced digital X-ray, and CT scan machines. It will be the second public facility to house an MRI machine and will be equipped for transplants.
Two additional buildings will be constructed within the compound – one for a teaching facility and another for a modern psychiatric facility.
UPGRADES
In terms of upgrades, the Linden Hospital Complex will benefit with some $30 million to be spent there but also upgrades are planned for West Demerara Regional Hospital, the Bartica Hospital and the Suddie Hospital.
“Everything is thought out, In fact, we should be lauded,” Jagdeo noted even as he cautioned the media and critics not to be tough on the government if the construction of these facilities are delayed by a few months.
He said at the same time, the government is working on personnel, management and incentivizing private healthcare.
HOSPITALS GALORE when completed.
No one should have to make appointment and wait 15-30 mins before seeing a health professional..so said
Dr. Anthony recently…. they could just walk in to the nearest hospital.