A NEW arrangement between the regional health authorities in Region One (Barima-Waini) and the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) will now see 8,500 gallons of water being pumped daily from a special overhead tank to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital.The assistance by GWI was put in place yesterday, and the Regional Health Officer of that region, Dr Cerdel McWatt, reported that the hospital had been able to use the new arrangement as of 09:00 hrs.
This is according to Director of Regional Health Services of the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Kay Shako, who explained that the new arrangement was made after efforts to rectify the problem by the technical personnel on the ground were unsuccessful.
“GWI will pump 8,500 gallons of water daily into a special overhead tank, which will supply the Mabaruma Hospital only, and the hospital will distribute the water as needed within the complex,” Dr Shako explained.
The hospital’s well stopped working on December 15, 2015, the issue being that the pump was discharging sediments which caused the water to be contaminated.
The hospital reservoir, which can accommodate approximately 54,000 gallons of water, was not full at the time of the breakdown and the purchase of water for the doctors quarters had commenced on December 18, 2015.
According to Dr Shako, the purchase of water for the entire hospital complex, which includes hospital and staff quarters, commenced on December 19, 2015.
In the meantime, the hospital reservoir was washed and prepared to be refilled during the period of December 27 – December 28, 2015.
The private arrangement for the purchase and transport of water, which saw an incurred cost of $1,400,000 to date, has been discontinued as a result of the new arrangement with the GWI.
Meanwhile, the RHS Director, in addressing the issues faced at the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital in Region Six (East Berbice- Corentyne) asserted that there was no “true” shortage of medical supplies.
“The Materials Management Unit (MMU) had experienced some difficulties in the timely filling of Combined Requisition and Issue Vouchers (CRIVS) which consisted of drugs and medical supplies. This should not be considered as a ‘true’ shortage, but a delay in the delivery of these important items,” Dr Shako stated.
She spoke with the Director of the MMU, who said that the (CRIVS) were due in December, but due to an emergency request from Region 1, they were delayed.
“Some (CRIVS) for the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital will be finished packing today and can be uplifted. More supplies are still outstanding and will be given on a monthly basis to Region Six,” the RHS Director explained.
According to her, the MMU did not have Reagents and Insulin Syringes, both of which had to be outsourced
The MMU is still to procure X-Ray films, not only for the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital, but nationally.
Dr Shako noted that if there was an urgent need for medical supplies, authorities in that region could have made contact with the Regional Health Services Department at the ministry, where there is a bond in which those items could be procured.