THE Ministry of Health on Friday received vehicles and medical equipment to the tune of USD$116,000 from the United States Embassy under the Department of Defense Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid Excess Property Programme.

The donation, which included one Nissan pickup truck, one Nissan eight-passenger van, and one Toyota ambulance, together worth US $71,000 and several examination tables, a physical therapy table, wheelchairs, and blankets, with a combined value of $ USD45,000, are expected to help boost the country’s health sector.

The vehicles and medical equipment were officially handed over during a simple ceremony held at the ministry’s Brickdam headquarters.
In her remarks, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, reiterated the ongoing commitment that the United States has to Guyana and its people.

The ambassador noted that in addition to the almost US$6.5 million donated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. will continue to support Guyana and its health sector.

“The vehicles we’re handing over today are not specific to our COVID assistance. They are in response to requests made by the ministry to assist with access to patients. We hope that they help the government serve the people of Guyana with efficiency,” Ambassador Lynch said.

“This is a very important donation to that will help Guyana and the medical team, to become even more efficient than you already are,” she added.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony stated that the ministry and by extension the government is looking forward to continued collaboration with the United States.

Additionally, he stated that the timely donation will assist the ministry in addressing its transportation needs, since in the past it has had to resort to renting vehicles to transport equipment.

“This donation of the ambulance and other vehicles are timely, because I know the ministry is using the canter trucks, because from time to time we have to move things around and before that we had to rent vehicles,” he said.