Dear Editor,
TODAY for my third instalment of 20 completed projects by the APNU+AFC government in 2019. I do wish to briefly write on the health service. The health service was mismanaged for 23 years under PPP, leaving the APNU+AFC with a Herculean task of reversing a health service which was having its dying breath. In this morbid state, it was impossible to restore full health in five years to a health service which was starved of good management and leadership nutrients for 23 years, by the negligent and corrupt PPP. Therefore to look at the present state of the health service and formulate a holistic conclusion, one cannot ignore the state it was handed over to the APNU+AFC government.

To elaborate on this point, I do wish to highlight two recent experiences. A known activist, who is part of The Citizen Initiative, was attempting to somewhat, in an awkward and juvenile manner, argue that the health service under this government is worse than that of PPP. To support her unreasoned case, she displayed a random and likely googled image, on her Facebook page. She ridiculously argued that it is the doctor’s kitchen at the West Demerara Hospital. This level of infantile and unscientific argument is disturbing for someone who wishes to lead the country. Let’s say for argument sake she is correct, which I highly doubt, how can one random picture of a kitchen in a state of disrepair, define a government’s success or failure where healthcare is concerned? The very lady again took some random pictures and fallaciously argued, without any evidence, that Linden Hospital is short of sterile gloves and she is accepting donation for same.

I am not sure where she would have purchased the sterile gloves since they are not available in stores. The simple reason is that they are generally used for surgeries and invasive procedures and the last time I checked they were not done in peoples’ homes, hence no need for departmental stores to sell them. The CEO of the Linden Hospital Complex rightfully dismissed her silly claims. I say this to alert the electorate of those who will present and publish random photos as facts. Such naysayer politicians and their propaganda should be dismissed with the disdain they deserve. Let them bring the hard evidence like we do in the APNU+AFC.

Medicine has evolved from the time I was in medical school. When I was a medical student, medicine was clinician centred. This essentially mean what the doctor wants, the doctor gets. Not dissimilar to Prince Harry’s “what Meghan wants, Meghan gets” comment. In effect, the patients hadn’t a voice, absolutely none. Patients’ autonomy was foreign.

I went into the long elaboration to highlight the dire state of the health service when PPP mismanaged it for 23 years. What I have written is only a microcosm of the larger horror story of the health service under PPP. A few months ago I highlighted disastrous conditions at the New Amsterdam Hospital. These include the mortuary being in close proximity to the kitchen where patients’ meals are prepared. The smell of decomposing bodies was pervasive in the kitchen. The drain for the mortuary passes through the middle of the kitchen. The doctors’ sleeping area was a boxed off area of four white sheets and a bed. The hospital beds and hospital environ were in a deplorable state. The APNU+AFC Government took action and now the New Amsterdam Hospital and doctors’ quarters are in a much better state than in was under PPP. Those who wish to be critical of the government should come with facts and not google images.

As part of my 20 completed projects for 2019, I will highlight the construction of the Mahaicony Hospital lab in Region Five which now facilitates a 24/7 service. Prior to this, patients had to travel to Georgetown. Now the service is there at the patients’ doorstep. Patient-centred care. Also as part of the completed projects is the Skeldon District Hospital state-of-the-art digital lab in Region Six. This lab has reduced the need for referrals to New Amsterdam Hospital. Patient-centred care. These developments are not only in Regions Five and Six. They span the length and breadth of the country.

Building of hospitals, renovation of hospitals, and building and renovation of health centres decentralises the healthcare service and makes it more patient-friendly. It reduces the patient burden at GPHC. Building and renovation accommodation for the staff of the health service will make them feel valued. An employee that feels valued is more productive. There is much more to be done since there was much that was not done by PPP for 23 years. Now I will introduce you to the third installment of APNU+AFC completed projects for 2019:
Some of the completed projects for 2019 in Regions Five and Six
41. Early Childhood Centre in Ithaca ($36M)
42. Calcutta Nursery School ($33M)
43. Woodley Parks Science Lab ($14M)
44. Mahaicony Hospital Lab with 24hr service
45. D’Edward indoor sluice ($414M)
46. Multiplex and Park for West Coast Berbice ($148M)
47. Mora point pump ($225M)
48. Central Mahaicony ground lights
49. Strengthening Mahaicony Sea Defence
50. New farm to market road ($100M)
51. Guyana Land and Surveys Commission office ($30M)
52. New Sexual offence court ($13M)
53. New Nurses’ Accommodation ($49M)
54. Indian arrival monument at Palmyra
55. Skeldon state of the art lab
56. Brand new power plant at Canefield ($1.7Billion)
57. New science labs at Canje and Erven secondary schools and BEI ($45M)
58. New Berbice Passport Office ($57.7M)
59. Lands titles for over 200 Angoy Avenue residents
60. Six internet hotspots in Orealla. Residence can have free internet access.
Last week I addressed corruption and the consequences of corruption. I also highlighted that a government like the (PPP) that is corrupt would have a negative impact on you the electorate. Now today I have read the great news that Guyana has risen to 85 in the world based on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index. This is a massive improvement when one is to look at the fact that under the PPP Government, Guyana was languishing in the mid 130’s. This is also significant when one considers that only 22 out of 180 countries have made this degree of improvement. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the government would have more money for infrastructure development, pay increases, social services, health etc. There is much more to be done since there were lots to be done when the APNU+AFC took office. The choice is clear. A corrupt PPP government that would reverse all the developments you have seen or an APNU+AFC government that will govern and develop the whole of Guyana.
Regards,
Dr. Mark Devonish
MBBS MSc. Med. Ed