Region 6 hospitals saw major upgrades in 2018
DPI, Guyana, Monday, January 7, 2019
Several of the health care facilities in East Berbice-Corentyne received a major overhaul to their infrastructure and services in 2018.
Skeldon Hospital
Administrator of the Skeldon Hospital, Shurla Scott explained that the facility is now equipped with a new digital laboratory. According to Scott, this electronic technology will generate, store and process data. It will help to keep information and results more safely, she noted, adding that with this new implementation, the hospital will be able to better serve the residents of Upper Corentyne.
Mibicuri Hospital
Over at the Mibicuri Hospital in Black Bush Polder, major rehabilitation works were carried out on the facility as well as the doctors’ and nurses’ quarter. Hospital Administrator, Asif Owal said the pharmacy was redesigned and extended while the waiting area was given a makeover. The hospital is now up and running after being down for a number of years. Further, a nurses’ station was built to accommodate the nurses while on duty. In addition to the much-needed facelift, internal electrical and plumbing works were carried out on the nurses’ quarters, Owal said.
Port Mourant Hospital
At the Port Mourant hospital, the water filtration system was replaced, recovery works completed in several wards and an air conditioning (AC) unit placed at the pharmacy waiting area for the comfort of patients, Doctor in Charge, Davendra Radhay noted.
Other services added in include a cardiac section that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. Dr. Radhay said the nurses and doctors that work in these areas received special training in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. The hospital is also now equipped with a Speech Therapy programme, whilst Dr. Radhay said the ophthalmology centre is expected to be up and functioning in January 2019.
New Amsterdam Hospital
Director of Regional Health Services, Jevaughn Stephen highlighted the rehabilitation works that were carried out at the New Amsterdam Hospital as including the construction of a Dental Department, the restructure and refurbishing of the hospital’s Kitchen, maintenance of one of three theatres, the installation of additional lights in and around the hospital compound and the completion of the CT scan unit.
He explained that ongoing works include those on a new Dental Department that is housed in a building separate from the hospital, but in the same compound. This department will facilitate patients with all Dental health care issues and include cleaning, filling, extractions and consultations. Dental Surgeries will be carried out in the hospital’s theatre. According to the Director of Regional Health Services, the estimated cost for the construction of the dental department is approximately $2.8M, since only internal works were done.
The Director noted that one of the challenges faced in the previous dental unit is the unavailability of space. However, he further highlighted that with the new Dental Department; the dentist and other technical staff will now be able to work more effectively.
Meanwhile, approximately $8.5M in works were carried out on the hospital’s kitchen. During a previous visit by the Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, it was noted that the hospital’s kitchen was “low” in the standard. Minister Lawrence said the regional health services had taken the decision to rehabilitate the kitchen.
Director Stephen noted that with the upgrade of all the hospitals in the region it is expected that improvement in the delivery of health care services to patients in East Berbice, Corentyne and nearby regions will be realized.
Story and Images by Tanuja Raikha.