Pres. Ali inspects works on Region Three hospital, other projects

– requests proposed plan for De Kinderen Hospital to be completed by April 2025

Underscoring the need for improved access to healthcare in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara administrative region, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali visited the De Kinderen Regional Hospital site on Tuesday.

While there, President Ali urged the contractors to consider the possibility of advancing the project to completion before the extended deadline.

“I know you have June [2025] as a timeline, but I want you to give me a plan to see how you can expedite some work and finish this for April…tremendous progress but we need to accelerate it,” the President said.

The hospital is part of seven regional hospitals that are being constructed across the country, at a cost of around $7 billion each.

When completed, the world-class hospital will be 65,000 square feet and will be equipped with 75 hospital beds. Also, patients will no longer have to travel to the Georgetown Hospital.

After visiting the hospital, President Ali met with teachers of the Tuschen Primary School, who expressed gratitude for a shed that was committed to them on an earlier visit that the President made.

Dr Ali instructed the Regional Executive Officer to grade the ground of the school so that the children can have a safer environment to play.

Subsequently, the Head-of-State met with residents of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo to address their concerns.

“I know many of you wanted to raise issues with me, so I’m here today…to listen to you and to go see some of what you want to get done,” Dr Ali said.

Residents raised issues of drainage and irrigation, the sloth in road construction, street lights, and the need to construct roads in other areas of the community.

President Ali walked around the community to get a first-hand glimpse of the issues highlighted by the residents and shared with them government’s plans already in place to rectify some of them.

Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar were present at the community engagement, along with the staff members of the respective ministries.