Unsanitary condition of NA hospital being addressed – Minister Anthony

─ cleaning, maintenance works begin

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, MP, said the Ministry of Health has put systems in place to address the situation at the New Amsterdam Hospital, in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

 Dr. Anthony said the ministry had received reports that the hospital is in an “unhygienic state.” He said steps have been taken to address the situation.

Right now, we’ve put in place a mechanism whereby the maids clean the hospital at least three times per shift. We also have in the compound itself, (there were complaints that the grass was overgrown and things like that,) … we have been cutting the grass on a regular basis,” he said.

Dr. Anthony sad persons have been tasked with thoroughly cleaning the compound and ensuring drains are cleared. The walls of the hospital are currently being cleaned, after which they will be painted.

“I think in another week or two, at least on the outer side of the building there will be vast improvement…

With the works that they have been doing in the building itself, the cleaning and so forth, I think we would have changed what would have been an unhygienic state to one where it’s very clean right now.”

Another issue being addressed is the sewage system. Dr. Anthony noted that preventative maintenance work was not in place for over six years. “We do have another problem and that is the sewage system seems to be blocking up on a regular basis, and so we have just completed an estimate for what it would cost to do some rehabilitation work and right now we are in the process of getting a contractor who will be able to fix those problems,” the health minister related.