GUYANA’s only dental boat, the Lady Janet, was recommissioned on Monday following a recent $2.4 million upgrade after it had been out of operation for some six years.

The boat is expected to resume its service to the people of the Upper and Lower Pomeroon in Region Two sometime today.

Adults and children will have access to a number of services, including oral examinations, extraction, dental cleaning and oral health education.

Senior Dental Surgeon, Sabrina Harrychan, who will manage the boat, said she was proud that the people of far-flung parts of the region will now have access to oral care, which she described as a major aspect of healthcare.

She noted that with the boat operating every Monday and Tuesday, children will be the main focus.

Over 2,000 adults and children are expected to benefit from the initiative.

Meanwhile, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony, who commissioned the boat, noted that efforts will be made to ensure that there will be additional primary healthcare services available on the boat in the future.

“It’s first going to function more as a dental boat because that’s what it was built to do, but we think we can add additional services such as MCH (maternal and child health) services and maybe general medical clinics that we can use the boat for and by going into the Pomeroon in various communities on a regular basis, they will have access to additional medical services,” he said.

The health minister disclosed that currently the Lady Janet is not just the only operational dental boat in the country, but it is also the largest boat with the capacity to provide general medical clinics.

He added that based on the positive reception of the recommissioning of the Lady Janet, government plans to rehabilitate and recommission a similar boat that is in the Canje River, which is in a “very bad state.”

According to Minister Anthony, once it becomes operational, government will make a decision as to what medical services will be provided on board.