– third to become operational next month, some 987 surgeries performed at the hospital in 2020
By Vishani Ragobeer
A REDUCTION in the backlog of elective surgeries at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital (NAPH), in Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne), is expected now that the hospital’s second operating theatre has been repaired and the third theatre is expected to be operational by March.
Recently, Regional Health Officer (RHO) of Region Six, Dr. Vishalya Sharma, told the Guyana Chronicle that the hospital’s second operating theatre was not functional for some time, due to infrastructural and other issues. This, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, which placed a strain on the health sector, created a backlog of about 600 non-emergent or elective surgeries.
Elective surgeries, generally, are not life-threatening medical emergencies. Dr Sharma, however, explained that it is still important to treat patients’ needs, even if they are not experiencing a medical emergency. It is for this reason that the now repaired operating theatre and the third theatre, expected to be operational by next month, would help to provide relief to patients in the region.
“We’re hoping that with this, we can help to clear some of the backlog within the next six months and also we have started working at 50 per cent capacity,” Dr. Sharma said.
She also related that the hospital would continue to monitor the evolving COVID-19 situation to determine the safest way of expanding the services offered, amid the pandemic. The hospital offers surgical services in general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, and ear, nose and throat (ENT) health.
Despite the lull the hospital experienced, Dr. Sharma highlighted that the hospital has been able to do 987 emergency surgeries in 2020, using only a single operating theatre.
Additionally, to mitigate the spread and impact of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, the RHO emphasised that a much greater focus has been placed on ensuring that there is sufficient in-house training at all of the medical facilities within the region.
“One of the challenges was dealing with the pandemic and implementing new protocols and guidelines because if we’re going to reopen services, we had to ensure that we do it safely,” she reasoned.
Improving the care offered at the New Amsterdam Hospital, and in the region generally, has been the focus of the local health authorities. A few months ago, in a bid to bring additional relief to the residents of the region, computerised tomography (CT) scanning machines were installed at the New Amsterdam hospital.
The scans are being offered free of cost to persons in need of diagnostic treatment, who were previously forced to travel elsewhere to seek this type of service.
