– Dr Anthony tells Melanie residents
The government continues to make the necessary interventions to ensure the delivery of world-class healthcare services in Guyana. This will see massive infrastructural and human resource development in all regions across the country.
One of the many initiatives is the construction of a 256 -bed Paediatric and Maternal and Hospital at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
Construction is expected to commence during the coming week. This was disclosed by Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony during an outreach in Melanie.
“One of the things that we’ll be doing is the President will be turning the sod for a 256 beds Paediatric and Maternal Hospital and that is going to upgrade the quality of services that we have been offering to children and high-risk mothers,” Dr Anthony noted.
Some $12.4 billion was allocated in the 2022 budget for the design and construction of the hospital.
Additionally, the West Demerara and Bartica rregional hospitals are slated to be upgraded, as well as the construction of six modern regional hospitals at Anna Regina, Tuschen, Diamond, Enmore, Bath and No. 75 Village, Corentyne.
Minister Anthony explained that the regional hospital at Enmore will be equipped with at least 75 inpatient beds, a modern accident and emergency department, modern laboratories, imaging suite and a modern CT scan, among other services.
“So no longer will you have to leave here to go to Georgetown and then you’ll need to pay 30 to 70 thousand dollars for a CT scan we will be able to offer it here free of costs,” minister Anthony said.
The heath minister reiterated government’s commitment to improving the quality of healthcare services in Guyana.
“Among the things that we want to do in the health sector is to ensure that we improve the quality of health across Guyana,” he added.
Government has also allocated $100 million to each region for infrastructural improvements to all healthcare facilities.
Residents during the community meeting in Melanie
Meanwhile, Dr Anthony further noted that the country’s first of it’s kind Diabetic One-Stop-Shop will be completed by the end of this year. This centre will provide all the necessary services for diabetic patients.
“We want to work very closely with you, we want to improve what is happening in every community and the only way we’ll be able to do that is in collaboration with you”, according to the minister.
The outreach was led by Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, accompanied by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall and Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy.
The team is expected to return to the community next Wednesday to address other issues on the ground.