LAST week, two important national events were held. The first was a stakeholder consultation on Guyana’s second voluntary national review of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); the second was the sod-turning of a new regional hospital at Bath, West Coast Berbice.

The SDGs are global goals, organised thematically, that outline what countries hope to achieve by 2030. Achieving these goals means that we would’ve surmounted various challenges the planet and people face. The UN says, “[The SDGs] are a call to action to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy health, justice, and prosperity.” And Guyana is one of the many countries pursuing these ambitious global goals.

At the voluntary meeting held last week, several government officials and stakeholders posited that Guyana is inching towards achieving the targets set out in these goals even though the country, like most others, faced enormous challenges during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their statements aren’t unexpected or unfounded. There is incremental progress in transitioning to more renewable energy sources and better-quality water. There is a growing focus on improving access to education and healthcare. And it has been argued that macro plans are meant to help reduce poverty and improve people’s quality of life.

For the government especially, constant improvement is a pursuit that seems to be a no-brainer. So, yes, I think it’s fair to accept that we are inching towards achieving the SDGs though I will hasten to acknowledge that much more work needs to be done to cater to society’s most vulnerable.

Hours after that meeting, Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, and Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony were among those attending the sod-turning ceremony for the new $6.6 billion hospital at Bath. Five other regional hospitals — all replete with modern facilities and services that are not currently provided in the regions— are being constructed at an overall cost of $40 billion. Altogether, it is believed that these facilities and the persons being trained to work there will provide much-needed services to residents of the areas and regions.

This second event, I believe, offers an example of how Guyana is attempting to achieve its global goals. Or, it shows some of what is being done to help the country inch towards meeting its SDG targets (in this case, it directly focuses on Goal #3: Ensuring good health and well-being for all).

I say this because, at the sod-turning event, the Health Minister did not hesitate to admit that specialised health services are unavailable in the region. As such, people in dire need often have to travel to the capital city of Georgetown for those services. Simply put, if a resident is involved in a horrible, life-threatening accident, life-saving procedures may be done in ‘town’. The new regional hospital, however, eliminates the need to take persons to Georgetown for specialised medical services. It means that more people can benefit from where they are. Of course, the construction of a new hospital does more than decentralise medical services; it also provides jobs and helps people earn to provide for themselves and their families. And more hospitals or health centres in regions and communities, ideally, can help encourage people to be more health-conscious (for example, eating better or seeking regular checkups) as opposed to these facilities only being accessed for emergency or critical care.

The construction of new schools or roads, like the hospital, aren’t standalone developments. And they aren’t developed with a single benefit. I think we can agree that our society demands more social safety nets for the vulnerable and a more equitable distribution of wealth, but I also believe that we can agree that much-needed investments are also helpful in improving people’s lives. At least, I certainly hope so.

If you would like to discuss this column or any of my previous writings, please feel free to contact me via email: vish14ragobeer@gmail.com