Wiruni health centre to be fully equipped to serve residents – Minister Dharamlall

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Hon. Nigel Dharamlall has said efforts are being made to fully equip the Wiruni health centre within the next few months, to better serve residents and surrounding communities.

The Minister made this disclosure on Tuesday during a ministerial outreach in Kwakwani, Sub-region Two. He told residents that the health centre will be renovated soon in keeping with the Government’s goal to provide quality healthcare services to all citizens.

“Minister [of Public Works, Hon. Bishop Juan] Edghill and I toured that facility and there is absolutely nothing except three staff and that has to change immediately. And if we want to convert this facility into a medical hub in this sub-district, then we will have to provide the equipment,” Minister Dharamlall said.

Accordingly, the Minister said Regional Health Officer, Dr. Gregory Harris will supervise the facility’s development, which will include staffing and the procurement of equipment. The Health Minister would also be informed of the effort.

“We will speak to Minister of Health, Hon. Dr Frank Anthony about the health centre so even if you do not have a resident doctor, [it is the hope] that a doctor will pass through Berbice river regularly, until we can have a resident doctor you need,” Minister Dharamlall added.

The 2017 Auditor General’s Report revealed that the construction of the Wiruni health centre and doctor’s quarters was abandoned, although advanced payment was made to the contractor. This led the Region Ten Administration to terminate the contract, expecting that more funds would be allocated for the facility in Budget 2019.  Last year, the Administration outlined its intention to strengthen access to health care in riverine communities.

Dr, Harris said, “We want to strengthen our access, and more so (in) the Berbice River there’s the Wiruni health centre. There’s a new structure that we built there… What I would like to see happening there is to develop what you call a polyclinic…that would be like the central point for the Berbice River.”

This approach, he said, will allow for the storage of supplies and vaccines at the facility to ease the burden of persons having to travel long distances to central locations in Linden for healthcare.