Health Ministry gets vehicles to boost sector

The Ministry of Health on Friday received three vehicles to aid the strengthening of the health care system and the fight against COVID-19.

The vehicles were donated by the United States’ military through the Department of Defence Overseas Humanitarian Disaster and Civic Aid (OHDACA) excess property programme, following a request from the health ministry here.

United States Ambassador to Guyana, Her Excellency, Sarah-Ann Lynch presented the donation at the Ministry of Health, Brickdam, Georgetown.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, M.P, said the donation is a relief to the ministry, which has been renting vehicles for various purposes.

“This particular donation of the ambulance and the other two vehicles, I must say will come in quite useful because I know the ministry has been using the canter truck, because from time to time they have to move things around and before that we had to be renting vehicles so this is really going to be a relief for us,” Dr. Anthony said.

Ambassador Lynch said over the last year, the US Government has donated a number of items to assist Guyana during the pandemic, including personal protective equipment, tents, COVID-19 vaccines and deep freezers to store the Pfizer vaccines.

“Today we’re here to donate these vehicles, a truck, a van, as well as most importantly an ambulance which is a donation from the US military…

This is a very important donation that I think will help Guyana and the medical team become more efficient than you already are and hopefully all of these vehicles will help with access to the Guyanese people,” the ambassador said. Additional assistance was given to Guyana in the form of a physical therapy table, wheel chairs, blankets and other medical equipment, also donated by the US Government to the tune of US$45, 000.