… President Ali says new facility will be part of modern healthcare system to benefit satellite communities
President Dr Irfaan Ali on Friday said that the new $2B multi-speciality hospital, to be constructed in Suddie on the Essequibo Coast, is part of the Government’s national plan of modernising the healthcare system and ensuring the delivery of improved healthcare services to small and satellite communities.
This, he added, will help in linking the healthcare facilities.
President Ali made the pronouncement at a simple sod-turning ceremony for the hospital.
“What is happening today is part of a national architecture of modernisation of the healthcare system.”
The President said the focus is not only on the healthcare system and providing health services to people but also on health education as well as other services that includes preventative healthcare.
As a result, he announced that the Ministry of Health under the leadership of Dr Frank Anthony, will be launching an “aggressive education campaign.”
President Ali also said that the focus will be placed on properly equipping primary healthcare facilities to provide the necessary services to meet the expectations of citizens.
He added that another pillar of the Government’s modernised healthcare system is building the capacity from locally trained nurses, medex and midwives, to more specialised training.
HEALTHCARE NETWORK
The Head of State said that the Government is extremely confident that the hospital will add “great value” to the healthcare system in the Region.
“More importantly, this will be like a network. We are creating a network in the Region. The riverine areas, the small communities or satellite communities will be networked into this facility. So as time goes by, you will see all the health clinics, outposts and regional hospitals equipped more and more with higher levels of service that will be integrated into the national healthcare delivery system.
The President also noted that the Government is working on a one-card health information system/patient information management system.
“So this is the type of innovation and modernisation we are talking about in the healthcare system.”
The President said that the Government is looking at proposals in terms of cancer research and cancer treatment.
HIGH-END HEALTHCARE
He also announced that the Ministry of Health is involved in high-level discussions with the “high-end of the health business.”
“We’re now drafting the organ transplant legislation. We’re talking about stem cells. We’re talking about the high-end. …We’re bridging the gap to get to the most modern,” the President added, while stating that he is confident that the discussions will be fruitful.
ADDITIONAL HEALTHCARE WORKERS
President Ali also noted that in the technical meeting with Cabinet today the issue was raised about the lack of nurses and midwives.
As a result, the President said, that the Government has requested 35 students who meet the criteria to be trained immediately to become nurses and midwives.
President Ali also said that it was brought to his attention that the Region was lacking doctors, as a result, five additional doctors will be posted.
“So, we are responding as fast as we can. And we’re trying to integrate the system as quickly as we can.”
The Head of State also used the opportunity to implore the residents and healthcare workers to get inoculated against COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Minister Anthony said the hospital is being funded by a loan from the EXIM Bank of India.
“It took a lot of work to start getting these projects moving, and within a very, very short period of time, we have been able to meet all the benchmarks that were set by the EXIM Bank of India, and other partners to be able to get to this point,” he noted.
The minister explained that team came from India about three weeks ago, and visited multiple hospital sites.
“They were at West Demerara, they came here to Suddie, and they went up to Bartica. And based on what they saw on the ground, they had given us several options of what we can do. At Suddie, they have proposed a structure that we can build here. And so, we have taken that advice, and we’ll be moving ahead with the construction of this hospital right here,” he related.
According to Dr Anthony, the multispecialty hospital must provide a better service.
“The ambience of the hospital must be one that is modern, that would promote healing, and that was the directive that was given by His Excellency, when we met to review how we’re going to modernise the infrastructure across this country,” the Health Minister stated.
Senior with responsibility for Finance, the Honourable Dr Ashni Singh; Minister of Health, the Honourable Dr Frank Anthony; Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Honourable Hugh Todd; Minister of Public Works, the Honourable Juan Edghill and Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud were also at the sod-turning exercise.
