–facilitated through installation of new equipment, general advancement of regional health services

HEALTH facilities in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), over the past six months, were retrofitted with equipment valuing more than $60 million, clearing the way for the region to offer enhanced health services to citizens.
A major part of the enhancement in the regional healthcare system was activated on Wednesday, when Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, during a tour to Region Six, commissioned several equipment at the New Amsterdam Hospital.
Over the past six months, the hospital, through the addition of those equipment, has moved from having just one operating theatre to three, and is now equipped to offer crucial services which were previously available only at the regional hospital.
Region Six’s Director of Health Services, Dr. Vishalya Sharma, while commending her team for their consistent efforts, also thanked the government for investing in the advancement of the regional system.

Owing to the investments made by the government, the New Amsterdam Hospital has been able to conduct approximately 600 surgeries in just under five months. In doing so, the hospital has been able to clear the backlog that existed when the facility was only equipped with one operating theatre.
“We are thankful and extremely pleased because with this investment we can definitely continue to improve the level of care we provide to the residents of our region. For the past six months, we have been actively been purchasing and distributing equipment throughout the region,” Dr. Sharma said.
Further, she related: “We now have, for example, Mibicuri Hospital which now has its own EKG [electrocardiogram] machine which means the 3,000 plus residents can now have that service done right at the facility. “Today, we would be adding two anaesthetic machines, an additional theatre bed that is installed in the theatre, two capnographs, monitors, laryngoscopes, oxygen gauge, sterilisers, incubators… that allowed us to offer decentralised services to Skeldon, Port Mourant and Mibicuri.”
Even with such ‘great’ advancements, the health team, Dr. Sharma said, will continue to add more equipment and offer more services, all part of efforts to improve the level of care offered to residents.

“We will continue to improve the theatre services at the New Amsterdam Hospital so that our residents can see and continue to access an improved level of care. There should be no regional backlog. There should be no patients waiting for surgery for prolonged periods,” the Director of Regional Health Services said.
Meanwhile, Minister Dharamlall pledged the government’s continued support in improving the lives of all residents across Guyana, and ensuring that they are comfortable and receive improved services whenever they visit a health facility. “For us as a government we want everyone to benefit equally and equitably that is why we are upgrading New Amsterdam Hospital and every other facility in the country.  “We will also be working with you to ensure your conditions are much better than yesterday and I hope that there is open communication between the administration and the higher levels of the region,” Minister Dharamlall said.

Regional Chairman of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Six, David Armogan, while underscoring the importance of a healthy population, stated that the region’s focus is to improve the level of service in the health sector.
He charged the health workers to improve something every day in the execution of their duties, and the administrators to seek to add new equipment to improve the number of services being offered. Region Six has 34 public health facilities inclusive of four hospitals, over 1,100 health workers and 63 doctors servicing the population.
The administrators have reported an increase in the usage of and access to services being offered across the region over the past few months; this they believe is testimony to the availability and quality of services being offered at the public facilities.