Lethem Hospital gets ambulance service

Ministry of Communities, Georgetown, January 26, 2017: Residents of Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo (Region Nine) will now benefit from improved emergency health services as the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) secures a new ambulance to be used by the Lethem Hospital.

The emergency vehicle was procured at a cost of $8.8M under the 2016 capital works programme with the requisite budget approval.

The council had initially intended that the ambulance be used in the Karasabai district, South Pakaraimas due to its mountainous and remote terrain.

However, during a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Health, the RDC decided that the ambulance would be better placed at the regional hospital.

Regional Executive Officer (REO) Carl Parker, disclosed that the Lethem Hospital is in the process of being upgraded and specialists will soon be dispatched to the area.

“As a result, we can expect to be dealing with more emergency cases and so the ambulance will be used to service these areas,” Parker said.

The REO explained that if stationed at the Lethem Hospital, the ambulance will service a wider cross-section of the population of about 40 communities as against six communities in the Karasabai area.

He noted that the Lethem Hospital has a minibus ambulance but this is inadequate because of the rugged landscape which requires a four-wheel drive.

“We expect that during the rainy season when some of the communities are cut off, the ambulance will be able to provide coverage to those areas as well,” the official stated.

He detailed that the region already has a driver in place and as such the vehicle will be driven to its destination once it has been registered and the relevant documents have been processed.

Parker revealed that two additional ambulances have been budgeted for however, no approval has been yet granted.

“However, we will not stop. We will continue to press for it.”

When the vehicle arrives in Lethem, Regional Chairman, Bryan Allicock is expected to host a formal ceremony where the ambulance will be handed over to the regional health officer.