Upgrade works for the Leonora and Mabaruma Hospitals will soon be completed, adding additional capacity for the management of patients soliciting services at these facilities.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Friday stated that works on regional hospitals across the country are ongoing while adding that some other projects will come on stream later this year.
At the Leonora Hospital in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Mabaruma Hospital in Region One (Barima-Waini), works are almost completed. Both hospitals will soon be recommissioned.
The “Smart Hospital” concept comes under an $835 million fund by the former United Kingdom Department for International Development and was implemented by the Pan American Health Organisation’s Department of Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief with the Health Ministry.
The Diamond Diagnostic Centre, Leonora Diagnostic Centre, Mabaruma and Lethem Regional Hospitals and the Paramakatoi Health Centre were identified to be upgraded.
Works at the Diamond Diagnostic facility were completed to the tune of US$984,439, catering for emergency services such as obstetrics, gynaecology, surgeries, paediatrics, orthopaedics, pharmacy and laboratory services among others.
Meanwhile, the refurbishment of the operating theatre, Intensive Care Unit, recovery room, and maternity ward at Mabaruma have been completed as well.
For the West Demerara Regional Hospital in Region Three and Bartica Hospital in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), tenders will open by March for companies to undertake the rehabilitation project.
“Hopefully, by mid of this year, we will be able to start construction at West Demerara and Bartica, similarly we are in the process of going out to tender for a company to do the construction.”
Since the pandemic, intensive care and bed capacity has been bolstered across regional facilities and the Infectious Diseases Hospital. Speaking on the COVID-19 equipment that Government had invested to manage patients, the Minister said this will be integrated into normal operations post-pandemic to treat other illnesses.
“During COVID, what we have done is take sections of the hospital and use them as isolation areas and we have expanded the capacity there. Currently, we do have patients and we have, over the last year, been able to add beds to that section. We have given them ventilators, oxygen, monitors and all the instruments that they need to properly manage a COVID-19 patient. When there is no longer a great need for this type of isolation unit, we will more than likely move those equipment to areas of the hospital where we can manage patients with other conditions.”
Dr Anthony reassured that at all regional hospitals are equipped adequately. A re-evaluation will be done after infections have dropped to determine if these resources will be shifted.
