-SOD turned for $6.6B Plantation Bath Hospital

IN an effort to provide relief and state-of-the-art healthcare to thousands of Berbicians, President Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Tuesday, turned the sod for a $6.6 billion regional hospital at Plantation Bath, West Coast Berbice.

More than 30,000 persons residing in Region Five are expected to benefit from improved healthcare services when the facility is completed.

Government is investing more than $40 billion to construct six hospitals, including the regional hospital at Plantation Bath.

The other state-of-the-art facilities are set to be built in Skeldon, Region Six; Enmore, and Diamond, Region Four; Tuschen, Region Three; and Anna Regina, Region Two.

The facility will have 75 inpatient rooms, three theatres, a modern medical laboratory, a neonatal unit, a 24-hour accident and emergency department and several outpatient departments.

Additionally, the hospital will also provide digital X-rays, ultrasounds, and CT-scans.

Speaking at the sod-turning ceremony held at the proposed site, President Ali emphasised on his priority to modernise Guyana’s health infrastructure and how education plays a key role in making this a reality.

Intending to create a healthcare infrastructure and an eco-system that is second to none, the President said that healthcare improvement does not exist in isolation from other development, asserting that: “…the interrelation between investment in health and education is so dynamic that the two cannot go without each other.”

He said, “Our investment in this country is a full understanding of the infrastructure that’s required to provide a supportive mechanism to foster holistic national development.”

In addition, the President noted that the project’s result is not a brand-new hospital but improved health services, highlighting the significance of human resources in making all these goals happen.

The President explained that the government goes above and beyond by investing in citizens’ training to become qualified to foster an economy that will continue to grow and thrive.

He added, “There is enough space in our workforce for everyone to participate.”

While noting that Guyana is “bursting with opportunities,” President Ali also affirmed that owing to the rapid pace of Guyana, Guyanese would continue seeing their lives changing for the better.

Labeling the project as part of what he calls a “national revolution”, the President said that the policies and services that will be offered would change the game.

Reassuring the citizens of the plans for the transformation of the ancient county of Berbice, the President touched on the investments being made across the board, such as the millions spent to enhance the education sector.

World-class Health System
Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Health, spoke about the President’s goal of establishing a top-notch healthcare system and said that no matter how difficult the challenge is, President Ali always keeps his word.

According to the Minister, the government is seeking to expand training so that there are more healthcare professionals in Region Five, particularly younger ones.
He then said: “We don’t want to bring somebody else outside of this region.”

Additionally, the Minister said that online registered nursing programmes will be launched in the upcoming weeks.

He asserted that there is no barrier to education as creating a livelihood for all is the goal, regardless of one’s background.

Guo Haiyan, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, remarked that she is proud not only of this project but the strong and historic bond that China and Guyana have created.

She stated that this project promotes the development of Guyana’s health sector and addresses the healthcare challenges that Guyanese within the region encounter.

Chief Engineer of China Sinophram Int’l Corp., Fu Qiang, and Vice President of CAMCE, Yan Hailu, asserted that they were proud to undertake a project to enhance Guyana’s health sector.

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman of Region Five, Vickchand Ramphal, commended the government for the facility and the ongoing works. He said that the brand-new hospital would aid in providing the area with various benefits.