MOPH seeking partnership with Siemens

DPI, GUYANA, Thursday, January 25, 2018

In a continuing effort to modernise the local healthcare system, the Ministry of Public Health on Thursday, met with representatives of Siemens Healthineers, in search of a new partnership. The meeting was held in the ministry’s boardroom.

Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence noted the ministry’s focus, apart from leasing and retrofitting, will be the improvement of the nation’s laboratories. The Minister was optimistic that this vision could be achieved with prospective partnerships with companies such as Siemens.

“I want to ensure that as far as possible we will be able to have upgraded laboratories that can offer services in the hinterland. So that we can reduce the number of medivacs, which will assist those specialist doctors that we have sent to those regions, to be able to provide the services for the people. This will be our priority for this year with Siemens or any other company that comes to Guyana. We (Ministry of Public Health) are not looking for a piecemeal approach but we want to look at a very holistic and economic way,” Minister Lawrence explained.

The ministry is hoping for synchronism and standardisation across the board for the nation’s laboratories. It was highlighted that the Germany-based company aims to offer products and services in its core areas of diagnostic and therapeutic imaging and in laboratory diagnostics and molecular medicine. The company is also hoping to establish an institution in the country.

According to Junior Minister of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings, the presence of the Siemens Healthineers comes at a significant time when the ministry is looking to advance the services within the public health sector.

“Guyana is on the move and a bright future awaits the Guyanese people and we do not want to be left behind in terms of healthcare. We know that it is technologically-driven and we want to remain on the cutting edge…and we look forward to seeing if we can partner with them to improve or have the knowledge transferred and improve operational efficiency.”

The Junior Minister added that the establishment of the institution would assist in reducing the country’s unemployment rate whilst tackling the wants and needs of the healthcare service of the nation.

Siemens Healthcare Marketing and Business Partner Manager, Roberto Tovar Cruz, said his company hopes to share their expertise with the objective of helping Guyana develop strategies for providing improved healthcare.

The Siemens Healthineers representatives also met with Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson and Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman among others, today.

 

By: Neola Damon