President turns sod for $2B multispecialty hospital at Suddie

His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Friday turned the sod for a new $2 billion multispecialty hospital at Suddie, Region Two.

The President said the new hospital will form part of the PPP/C Government’s wider agenda of revolutionising the quality of healthcare in Guyana.

“Here, today, we are part of a process that will see not only a new building but 250+ beds here in region 2. It would see an ICU [Intensive Care Unit], a complete ICU in this hospital in Region 2.”

“We are very, very confident that this would add great value to the healthcare system here in Region Two.”

He said the Government is creating a network connecting health centres, outposts and hospitals, so that they would all be more equipped to provide a high quality of service even in remote communities.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, MP, said the hospital is being funded by a loan from the EXIM Bank of India.

“It took a lot of work to start getting these projects moving, and within a very, very short period of time, we have been able to meet all the benchmarks that were set by the EXIM Bank of India, and other partners to be able to get to this point.”

The minister said a team came from India about three weeks ago, and visited multiple hospital sites.

“They were at West Demerara, they came here to Suddie, and they went up to Bartica. And based on what they saw on the ground, they had given us several options of what we can do. At Suddie, they have proposed a structure that we can build here. And so, we have taken that advice, and we’ll be moving ahead with the construction of this hospital right here.”

The health minister said the multispecialty hospital must provide a better service.

“The ambience of the hospital must be one that is modern, that would promote healing, and that was the directive that was given by His Excellency, when we met to review how we’re going to modernise the infrastructure across this country.”

He said when the PPP/C Government came to office, it did so with a vision to modernise healthcare, and that this multispecialty hospital will transform the way healthcare is delivered in Region Two.

Also present at the ceremony were Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, MP; Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill,MP; Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, MP; and Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, MP.