$16M Water Ambulance handed over to Reg. 10 RDC
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHkr3ncVgA4″ width=”100%” height=”315″]
─ as Ministry of Public Health continually seeks to narrow gaps in healthcare
─ third Water Ambulance provided for riverine communities within six months
DPI, Guyana, Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Healthcare in Region 10 has received a further boost with the handing over of a $16M Water Ambulance to the Regional Democratic Council of Upper Demerara-Berbice. The boat complements a much smaller boat for health in the region and caters to emergency needs of persons in riverine areas along the Berbice River.
The new Water Ambulance supplied by Meditron (Guyana) stands approximately 28 feet in length and is spacious enough to accommodate up to two patients along with four family members and the medical team, driver included. This boat was purchased under the Region 10 Regional Democratic Council’s health budget with specifications determined and confirmed by the Ministry of Public Health.
The river vehicle has been equipped with all necessary medical supplies including monitors, oxygen tanks, stretchers to name a few. It is also equipped with a 200-horsepower engine which means it will take less travelling time.
Regional Health Officer, Region 10, Dr. Pansy Armstrong explained that this will be of tremendous benefit to residents since it is usually costly to be transported in and out of communities for medical reasons.
“Riverine areas have their own challenges getting from point A to point B and as the health team conduct their outreaches as well. This boat will cater for those emergencies; the people of the Berbice River will benefit from the use of this ambulance. It is the policy of the Ministry of Public Health for universal health care and, therefore, if the residents can’t reach us, we will have to reach them.”
The RHO added that since this Water Ambulance is now available for emergency purposes, the other boat will be used to conduct scheduled medical outreaches to riverine communities.
Before the acquisition of this ambulance, riverine communities’ residents would have had to be transported via the river to the Kwakwani hospital before being transported by land to the Linden Hospital Complex for further medical attention. This new spacious ambulance will reduce the time it takes from a Berbice River community to the main hospital in Linden.
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, who handed over the ambulance said:
“I believe that we are on our way to ensuring that we work towards having universal access to health but not just having access but having access in a timely manner which will save lives.”
Addressing the timeliness of such an acquisition, the minister added:
“We are talking now of not having to take persons to the Kwakwani Hospital if it is a case that needs to be administered at a higher level. It means then that these persons can go directly to Linden Hospital Complex to receive that higher level of care; so, it is a matter of the time factor here.”
This is the third ambulance supplied to regions with several riverine communities within the last six months. One was commissioned at Orealla in October 2018. This ambulance caters to transporting persons along the Corentyne River to the Skeldon Hospital.
On January 2, 2019, Bartica received a water ambulance which will render service to emergency cases in Regions Seven, Two, some parts of Region 10 and the Essequibo Islands.
Riverine communities, of Region 1, are next to benefit from a new water ambulance, this is expected to be presented to the regional administration and commissioned shortly.
Delicia Haynes.
Images: Keno George.