THE Enmore polyclinic, the first of its kind in Guyana, will be upgraded to a hospital to serve residents of communities along the East Coast of Demerara.

According to Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, the move is in keeping with the government’s commitment to bring improved healthcare services closer to the people.

The minister joined residents and staff of the polyclinic to celebrate the facility’s 20-year anniversary.

“After 20 years, I think you have outgrown the polyclinic and what we’ll now do is to make this into a full-fledged hospital,” Dr. Anthony said.

The government’s vision for the hospital includes an accident and emergency department, modern laboratories, modern imaging suite for CT scans, outpatient and inpatient services, maternity unit and a minor operating theater.

Dr. Anthony said President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has envisioned a world class healthcare system in Guyana. It is for this reason that the Health Ministry is working to deliver improved services to Guyanese.

Further, with the population growth in Guyana, the government is working to provide adequate health infrastructure in communities across Guyana. This, he said, will require more human resources in the health sector.

“Now, healthcare cannot be delivered by equipment and infrastructure, we need people…so we will have to expand the staff and that’s something that we have to look at…

“And we will be opening up opportunities for training for people to become registered nurses, midwives and so forth,” Dr. Anthony said.

He encouraged persons from Enmore and surrounding communities to take advantage of the opportunities to be trained so that they could be part of the new project.

Meanwhile, Adviser to the Health Minister and Chairman of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s (GPHC)’s Board of Directors, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, said construction started on the polyclinic in March 2001. Dr. Ramsammy said the accomplishments of the facility are largely due to the hard and dedicated work of its staff.

“The staff here was not just willing to be an ordinary health centre, they were trailblazers and pacesetters,” he said.

Present at the ceremony were doctor-in-charge of the polyclinic, Dr. Nichole Nedd-Jerrick; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GPHC, Robbie Rambarran and other health officials. (DPI)