Leonora Diagnostic centre to house maternity unit

GINA, GUYANA September 8, 2016

The Leonora Diagnostic Centre, Leonora, West Coast Demerara will be expanded to facilitate a maternity unit that will cater for women travelling from riverine and other communities in Regions Two, Three, Seven, Eight and Nine.

This new unit will reduce the number of referrals to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Builders Hardware and Quality Timbers Company has been awarded the $74,487,308 contract.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon during a post -Cabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency today, said that the project arose out of a concern which was expressed by President David Granger when he visited the maternity ward of the GPHC last year.

Harmon further noted that the president raised concerns about the condition under which pregnant women were treated at the GPHC, and urged the Minister of Health, Dr. George Norton  and himself (Minister of State) to find a facility which can facilitate extension to cater for maternity cases.

Harmon explained that the completion of this project will see the centre being upgraded from an anti-natal clinic to one that offers a full range of maternity services from pre-birth clinic to post-delivery health care.

Additionally, to address the overcrowding of the GPHC, a new wing is being constructed to facilitate 50 additional beds, two operating rooms, a birthing room and a Neonatal Intensive care Unit (NICU). This facility is expected to be completed by year- end.

There are also plans to expand the maternity unit at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre in 2017, to accommodate patients on an in-patient basis to deal with maternity cases. This facility will cater for patients on the East Bank of Demerara, as well as some areas on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway and Timehri.