REGIONAL Health Officer (RHO) for Region Two, Dr. Ranjeev Singh, has said that health services in the region have been significantly boosted under the present Government of Guyana.
During an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Dr. Singh disclosed that he is now enjoying his RHO position which he took up on September, 20, 2020.
He said he takes pride in serving the people of Region Two, and with adequate resources, he is managing to do so diligently.
Upon assuming office, Dr. Singh said he was faced with many challenges that were inherited from the previous APNU-AFC Coalition Government.
The biggest challenge he faced was the shortage of drugs and medical supplies in almost all health facilities in the region. This situation repeatedly occurred as the previous administration had purchased drugs with a short shelf life.

According to Dr. Singh, the PPP/C Government has been able to resolve this issue. He emphasised that all of the region’s health facilities are now stocked with all of the essential drugs and medical supplies. He said government’s timely intervention has lifted the financial burden for many as they no longer have to purchase medication.
He explained that initially he was faced with many challenges which needed urgent attention. He said that many of the issues were resolved with utmost urgency.
“Budget 2020, the first that I was a part of, would have provided an increase in the quality of services offered to patients with numerous upgrading of our existing medical equipment and also the purchasing of new ones,” Dr. Singh said.

He said with his intervention, a complete dental unit was purchased for the Suddie Public Hospital and patients can now have complete dental services free of charge. A medical boat, which is docked at Charity, is serving residents of the Pomeroon River, he added.
According to Dr. Singh, more medical outreaches are being conducted weekly by the Regional Health Services team. The boat also provides emergency medical services.
To assist in transporting patients, especially in cases of an emergency, a new water ambulance was procured and will soon be operable to transport patients from Supenaam to Parika. The ferry crossing usually takes one and a half hours, and with the water ambulance, traveling time will be reduced by one hour.
“On the other hand, the retrofitting and renovating of the leaking diagnostic centre of Suddie [Hospital] is now history after works were completed. With the elevation of the floor in front of the

Suddie Hospital, there will no longer be a need for long boots whenever it rains to access the emergency unit,” Dr. Singh said.
Meanwhile, in order to keep residents and medical staff at the Suddie Hospital and the Oscar Joseph Hospital at Charity safe during the pandemic, numerous adjustments have been made.
Sanitisation cabins were bought and installed at various locations in the hospital compounds. Those who have tested positive for COVID-19 are able to access the fully retrofitted Isolation Facility that was established to ensure persons are comfortably housed during their 14 days of isolation.
Dr. Singh assured that the quality of the region’s health services will continue to improve. He later said that he is focussed on providing good standards to ensure that residents benefit from all of the services that are being offered