GPHC correcting new ward inefficiencies, planning improvements
THE new Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) $1.2 billion in-patient ward in New Market Street, that was commissioned last November, has a few teething problems which are being corrected by contractors. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Michael Khan, who made the disclosure said the works are being undertaken through the one year liability provision and they are working on the inefficiencies.
He said steps are being taken to have the ground floor completed and, once funding is approved, the job should commence shortly.
Khan said, when a decision is made and everything is in place, that part of the facility would be completed by year end.
If the funding and design are finished and approval given by Government, work will proceed to build that new ground floor and, eventually, the Paediatric Ward will be moved to a section of the new in- patient division, hopefully before year end, he said.
According to him, several new interventions should be undertaken at the GPHC but they are awaiting financing, as well.
The CEO said, every day, new moves are being made to improve the system at the institution. “We have even added extra doctors, so that we could accommodate every person in dire need of medical services.”
Khan said, however, people must understand that there will be times when they would have to wait for attention.
“We are trying to improve the system and, as I keep saying, this is a very sore issue with the Accident and Emergency Ward. You cannot come with a cough and cold and be seen immediately,” he maintained.
Khan remarked: “I know people, in other countries that I have visited, would have to wait for a long period to see a doctor in a worst case situation like a fracture and we, here, have to understand that. We come here, we walk into accident and emergency and we have a cold for two days and we want to be treated immediately.”

ALWAYS TRYING
He said the hospital staff is always trying their best to ensure that every patient is looked at and given the best treatment and, as the institution advances and betters itself, the complaints grow, as well.
“We try our best. As we get better, we will get more complaints. We are working, we have changed up the system and also I have opened the male out- patients department (MOPD) long hours,” Khan said.
The MOPD is now open to the public seven days a week and the GPHC is looking at expanding the hours of service provided to persons at the various centres that fall under its management, he said.
He said that is to accommodate those persons who are given days off on weekends, instead of having them take a no pay day off from their places of employment during the week and also to ensure that health services are available free of cost to all.
“The reason for this is because we feel that many mothers have to take a day off to come to the health centres and we feel that, if we are going to provide a good service that is accessible to all, we should do this for them, so they don’t have to take a day off to come to the hospital,” Khan reiterated.
He said plans are in place to establish a children’s recreational section at the health centres and clinics for the benefit of parents with children who have no other choice but to take them along when visiting the doctor.
Khan said, next month, GPHC will start a voluntary reading programme sanctioned by the Board of Directors and he hopes people will see the need to volunteer.