$539M Central Supplies Unit commissioned
─One of Coalition’s major accomplishments fulfilled
─Testament of government’s commitment to fix health sector
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, July 11, 2019
The newly constructed state-of-the-art Central Supplies Unit was commissioned on Wednesday, July 10, 2019. Built to specification at a cost of $539Million, the bond is 11,520 square feet of storage and administrative space fully equipped with modern amenities. A staff complement of 20 persons will serve at this facility.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo who attended the commissioning of the building said that this is a testament to the Coalition’s pledge to improve the health sector and this is another step towards fulfilling that promise.
“…The bond is a story of the government’s commitment. Even the casual critic would say that it was almost impossible to do so much in such a short time. It is what has happened over the last four years. we have been looking for an alternative site and this facility is proof that with determination we can overcome our challenges,” the PM noted.
The prime minister added that the completion and commissioning of this new facility is a direct response by the government to citizens’ rights to access critical healthcare.
Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence hailed this project as one of the current administration’s biggest accomplishments to date.
“Our storage capacity for our supplies have increased three-fold which means that we can accommodate the expansion of our stored non-pharmaceutical supplies and equipment for our various programmes so that we can impact positively on the provision of healthcare countrywide.”
Auditor General, Deodat Sharma noted his satisfaction that the call to have a new facility for the storage critical equipment and medical supplies, janitorial items were heeded.
“In my previous reports, I made note of a number of vital control mechanisms to ensure that accountability for stock …. my office issued recommendations that were designed to improve systems practices and improve ministry’s accountability mechanism. I am happy that the Ministry of Public Health has taken steps to ensure proper accountability for their stocks.”
Prior to this building commissioned, The Ministry temporarily utilised space at its Camp and Charlotte Streets Annex for about a year to store items. Minister Lawrence said this step shows the ministry’s continued efforts to resolve any issue that might negatively impact healthcare delivery.
“Today’s commissioning of the Central Supplies Unit is a testimony to the ministry’s seriousness in upholding the law and its firm resolve of fulfilling its mandate to its staff and the people of the cooperative republic of Guyana.”
Just recently, the ministry commissioned a $161Million Materials Management Unit (MMU) also known as the Supplies Chain Management Complex in Diamond, East Bank Demerara.