No shortage of medication, equipment at Linden Hospital – RHO
Regional Health Officer of Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Dr. Gregory Harris has debunked claims that there is a shortage of staff and medical supplies in the region.
He was responding claims by the opposition that there is a shortage of equipment and drugs to effectively manage the COVID-19 situation in the region.
Dr. Harris said the Materials Management Unit (MMU) of the Ministry of Health has been constantly supplying the region. They are currently in the process of sourcing a space to rent for a bond to store the drugs and equipment.
“With respect to equipment, we have two functional ventilators, two oxygen concentrators and over 15 cylinders of oxygen, 100-pound cylinder that is.
“Additionally, there is no drug shortage either. As a matter of fact, we have so many things in stores like PPEs [Personal Protective Equipment].”
Contrary to the claims, Dr. Harris noted that there is no shortage of staff at the Linden Regional Hospital, despite the current refusal by staff to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
“We don’t have any shortage of health personnel at the Covid isolation unit, that is not true. The nurses that have been there from the beginning of Covid are still there. Currently we have zero patients in the isolation unit,” Dr Harris said.
He noted that the region is fully equipped to manage the COVID-19 cases, and urged persons to come out and be vaccinated.
Dr. Harris also invited Opposition Member of Parliament, Jermaine Figueira to tour the Regional Health Bond and interact with the staff there.
Less than a year ago, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, MP, handed over a ventilator and an oxygen concentrator to boost the region’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently, the Government continues to provide testing services for COVID-19 in all regions across the country, while also making provisions for every adult in Guyana, 18 years and over to have access to the vaccines.
The vaccination access has also been lowered to children from 12-17 years, who are being administered the Pfizer shots. The Government continues to encourage persons to take the vaccine to reduce the transmission of the Coronavirus.