Continuous upgrades for Pakera District hospital on the cards
─ more district hospitals in hinterland targeted for service improvement
DPI, Guyana, Monday, October 1, 2018
During a recent visit to health centres in Region One, Barima-Waini, Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings was briefed about plans for continuous upgrades to the Pakera District Hospital in the Matarkai Sub-Region.
While conducting a brief tour of the facility, the minister was informed by Regional Health Officer (ag), Dr. Vishal Ramjas that the hospital has been earmarked for new services and expansion.
According to Dr. Ramjas, the construction a building to house an X-Ray department and offer laboratory services is one of the major projects in the region, expected to come on stream and be completed by year-end.
“They will be able to do X-Rays and labs and be able to treat emergency cases more readily with the availability of this facility and hopefully decrease the need for medevacs. So, that’s a plus for 2018 at Pakera District Hospital.” Dr. Ramjas explained.
Further, there is expected to be an expansion to the hospital to cater to more patient’s bed capacity and an isolation unit for complex infectious diseases. This is expected to take form in 2019.
These plans have been commended by the minister who indicated that:
“Pakera is at a vantage point where they can service nearby catchment areas, it could be the hub for activities coming from Arakaka, Baramita and so on; so, we definitely have to step up the level of service being offered here.”
Minister Cummings further stressed that by upgrading services at Pakera District Hospital significant costs incurred by residents and the Public Health sector can be reduced.
“We can definitely increase the efficiency of services and lower cost incurred for health care by residents and the public health sector… Our mantra is to have healthy people, healthy communities. We surely want to narrow the gaps of inequities and inequalities between the coastal and hinterland regions,” the minister noted.
According to the acting RHO, persons must have the assurance of the availability of critical health services without having to consider going to Port Kaituma, Mabaruma and even Georgetown, in the case of an emergency.
There is a continuous push by the Ministry of Public Health for the improvement of health services at district hospitals, especially those within hinterland regions. This objective is being adopted by regional health administrations yearly so as to reduce the number of referrals of emergency cases to Georgetown.
Delicia Haynes.
Images: Anil Seelall.