POISED to be a “game-changer” for the Cinderella county, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, on Friday, turned the sod for a $881 million nursing school in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

“We are going to be building a modern nursing school on this same site,” the minister remarked while adding that in 2023, he visited the region and located the site.

Dr Anthony was accompanied by Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Anand Persaud and other regional officials.

The minister during his feature address, said: “So, what you’re seeing is a transformation of the landscape, the health landscape of our country.”

Dr Anthony said that the building will be located in the compound of the Suddie Public Hospital and will provide training programmes for all categories of health workers.

The Minister said that when President, Dr Irfaan Ali, first announced his plan to provide world-class healthcare in Guyana, it was met with skepticism.

However, within the three years since the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government assumed office, one can see that the proof is indeed in the pudding.

“We’re not just talking, we’re putting a lot of resources into make sure that we can deliver on that promise,” Dr Anthony disclosed, while explaining that the government is working assiduously to ensure that quality healthcare reaches every region in Guyana.

Reflecting on the numerous efforts that the government has placed on ensuring that Region Two’s health sector not only stays afloat but is one of quality, the minister said that in 2023, approximately $200 million was sent to the region by the central ministry to rehabilitate the healthcare facilities. Notably, in 2022, the region also received $100 million from the ministry.

“So, within two years, you have $300 million just to spend on refurbishing health facilities and the reason we did that was we want when people come into the health centres, they feel very welcome.

“They come into a very clean facility. They come into a facility where they have all the basic amenities to be able to treat our patients,” the Health Minister underscored.

Dr Anthony further remarked: “Before, it was a big struggle to decentralise training programmes in this country because everybody wants to come to Georgetown and it’s not possible to bring everybody from every region… So, what the training division is now doing is decentralising the programmes so that training can in every region of the country.”””

Using Region Two as an example, Dr Anthony noted that because of this approach, the region has 92 persons currently enrolled in various programmes. These students will soon graduate, according to him.

Aiming to enhance the lives of all Guyanese, the minister also said that the government iscommitted to providing employment for all those who are a part of the training programmes.

“Once we train someone and they pass their exams, we, in the Ministry of Health, the Government of Guyana, we have a job for you,” he firmly emphasised.

“In this country, we have three nursing schools in the public sector… And the output of these nursing schools is not enough…,” he said, while highlighting the number of initiatives being deployed to curb the shortage of nurses.

Dr Anthony spoke about the hybrid nursing programme. The three-year educational programme, which is being administered by Coursera, is the brainchild of the Health Minister.

It will train nursing students through both in-person and online sessions. It also enables students to continue their education at their own pace and in the comfort of their own homes.

“We want you to continue to work hard as we transform this sector, making it and making the President’s vision of a world class healthcare system, making that come through,” the minister told the large gathering of students and health workers.

Minister Persaud expressed similar sentiments and spoke extensively about the massive transformation that the region is undergoing because of the Ali-led administration. He said: “This region is transforming leaps and bounds.”