By Navendra Seoraj

THE process has begun for the construction of two modern facilities, which will house the Ministry of Public Health’s Epidemiology Laboratory and the Guyana Gold Board (GGB)’s head office, at Liliendaal.

The buildings will be located just off the Rupert Craig Highway, at a site where the public health ministry’s Medex building once stood.
As an indication of the ministries’ intention to start the construction project, a ceremonial sod-turning exercise was done on Wednesday.

In keeping with Guyana’s changing infrastructural landscape, both the Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Natural Resources have set out to have modern facilities which will offer quality, efficient and effective services.

With regards to the public health ministry, Subject Minister, Volda Lawrence said the project will cost about $400 million. The cost includes construction and furnishing of the building. A cost has not yet been finalised for the construction of the GGB head office.

“When we build, we are putting in the cost for equipping because we want modern equipment…we want lab facilities, so we are ensuring we invest and spend smart,” said Minister Lawrence, adding that the facility will have a staff complement of 50.

The project is seen as a ‘huge’ initiative for the ministry because there has been a shortfall in the area of research.

In speaking about the shortfall, Minister Lawrence said: “One of the things in health is continuous research, and we have not been doing a lot of research, just small things…doctors do research but not from a laboratory aspect, and given the fact that we live in the tropics where diseases are spread by insects and water and so on, we need to have space where we can continuously do research.”

The facility will allow the ministry to look at new methodologies for dealing with diseases, especially if there is resistance.

“You must be able to go to the lab and do further test and ensure that you can be able to spearhead the way in which the medical services should be delivered in terms of drugs and medication,” said Minister Lawrence, noting that the laboratory will help the ministry to break a lot of ‘new ground.’

Additionally, the facility will encourage medical students to become more involved in research. The current lab is not a ‘conducive place’ for working, the minister lamented.
“It has been an issue for us to find a place and do something and here we are today (Wednesday)…we have identified the spot and Minister Trotman asked if he could put the GGB at that spot too, since they will be having a lab too,” said Minister Lawrence.

SYNERGIES

The placement of the two buildings at the same site, however, presents the opportunity for synergies between the two ministries.

It will be beneficial, especially in the fight against Malaria said Minister Lawrence, adding that persons from the Ministry of Natural Resources and GGB will be able to participate as an observer in the testing process.

“In that way, we can ensure that we eradicate Malaria from Guyana,” she asserted. It was reported in 2017 that Guyana was able to reduce the number of malaria cases from around 85,000 in 1995 to just about 32,000 cases in 2012.

Malaria is a life-threatening disease commonly caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Symptoms usually occur at least seven to nine days after a bite by an infected mosquito and include fever, chills, sweating, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting and fatigue.

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman was also optimistic that the two stakeholders can work together and share experiences. He said persons will be able to be tested for Malaria at the epidemiology lab and could also trade and sell their gold right next door.

Speaking specifically about the gold board, the minister said, there has been increased and improved business over the years, so it was fitting that the gold board gets its own office and by extension a modern facility.

While oil and gas has amassed the bulk of the local and international attention locally, Trotman said mining will continue to contribute to the development of the economy.
“But, we want to ensure that as we go forward, there will be less use of mercury and more focus on safe and sustainable mining,” said the minister.

Gold declarations in 2019 reached 634,905 ounces and amounted to 18,682 ounces above what was declared in 2018 (616,223). And, the revenue earned by the GGB, on behalf of the Government of Guyana, was US$ 111,971,234.84, equivalent to 79,702.849 ounces.