The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, located at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, received its first batch of COVID-19 patients on Tuesday.
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, confirmed that six patients from the maternity section of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) were transferred to the health facility.
He noted that while sections of the estimated $1.6 billion COVID-19 Hospital will gradually be occupied, positive maternity cases are the focus so far.
“More patients will be transferred to the Liliendaal facility. Our intentions are to add persons who are in the transition ward of GPHC, and these would be positive cases with mild forms of COVID-19,” Dr. Anthony explained.
The Health Minister toured and inspected the facility on August 30, and disclosed that it currently holds 197 beds, and will grant 50 percent usage during Phase One, thus removing the burden from GPHC, allowing them to cater for more severe cases and non-COVID-19 patients.
During his inspection, he also identified electricity, water availability and proper sewage as hurdles that have delayed the transfer of patients.
The Ministry of Health has been working assiduously with the Public Works and Housing and Water Ministries to fix issues that have posed challenges in the facility becoming properly and fully equipped to accommodate COVID-19 patients.
The facility possesses an isolation unit, and a section to house patients awaiting their COVID-19 test results.
Dr. Anthony conveyed that other works are in progress to ensure the facility is suitably prepared in the event that more patients need to be transferred from the GPHC. [Extracted and Modified from DPI]
