Gov’t ramps up healthcare in Region Three

From the coastal regions to the hinterland, Guyana’s healthcare network is being reimagined to match the highest international standards.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali says his government’s unprecedented investment will create a healthcare ecosystem that will impact citizens before illness strikes, and deliver top-tier care when it’s needed the most.

Speaking at the commissioning of the new state-of-the-art De Kinderen Regional Hospital, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali said that a robust health ecosystem will streamline processes, personalise care, and drive innovation, ultimately leading to a more efficient and effective healthcare system.

This initiative is coming to fruition in Region Three with a new Level Five West Demerara Regional Hospital set to be constructed.

President Ali compared the coming healthcare facility to a five-star hotel, which will provide the highest standard of care that one would find in any modern hospital in advanced countries.

This hospital, equipped with three operating theatres, will contribute to the region’s surgical capabilities, raising it to seven operating theatres in Region Three alone.

Also, it will be the second hospital in Guyana to have a cardiac theatre outside of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Coupled with this, plans are already underway to expand the Wakenaam and Leguan Hospitals by including operating theatres with digital X-rays.

In an effort to further improve community well-being, the president revealed plans to convert all clinics into state-of-the-art primary healthcare centres. And starting next year, each community in the region will have a containerised health outpost.

These primary healthcare outposts will allow residents to monitor their blood pressure, blood sugar, and other vital data, in what President Ali described as an essential shift towards preventative care.

“The healthcare system of tomorrow is not about waiting for you to feel sick to come to the hospital. It is about proactively reaching you so that you can take care of yourself without having the need to go to the hospital and that is a healthcare system that is transformative,” he emphasised.

This preventative approach will extend into schools through a health education mix that will be supported by the government’s school feeding programme and compulsory physical education (PE) on Fridays.

Emergency response capacity is also being strengthened countrywide.

The president said a location is currently being identified for the centralisation of emergency services to respond to the needs of the people of Region Three.

“It is not the ambulance alone on our roadways, it’s about helping our riverine communities to have access to river ambulances too and be integrated in the system,” said President Ali.

The head of state also announced that healthcare workers will see the final phase of salary adjustments completed before the end of the year and promised to couple it with better working conditions.