PREPARATORY works have commenced for the state-of-the-art US$161 million hospital that is being built in New Amsterdam in Region Six.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Six said: “This will be a crucial step towards establishing a Level Five facility which will not only be a standalone structure, but also operate on a hub and spoke mechanism, facilitating telemedicine connections with health centres and other medical institutions across the country.”

The contract for the hospital was signed in July 2023 between the Ministry of Health and VAMED Engineering, an Austria-based company.
When completed, the New Amsterdam facility will have approximately 220 beds with five operating theatres, along with a cardiac suite and a section for training to be conducted on site for healthcare professionals.

Additionally, the new facility will have approximately 120 beds for psychiatric patients as the current facilities that exist in New Amsterdam will then be closed.
The hospital will have advanced digital X-ray and CT scan machines. It will be the second public facility to house an MRI machine and will even be equipped for transplants.

According to the RDC, VAMED Engineering is committed to delivering quality healthcare infrastructure to the region. With such advanced facilities and technology, the region said it will revolutionise healthcare in Region Six and beyond.

Committed to its promise to build a world-class healthcare system in Guyana, the government is moving ahead with the construction of seven new hospitals that will deliver quality health services to Guyanese in all regions.

Besides Region Six, the new facilities will be built at Anna Regina, Region Two; De Kinderen, Region Three; Diamond and Enmore, Region Four; Bath, Region Five, and Skeldon, Region Six. Each of the new regional hospitals will be 65,000 square feet.

Over the next few years, according to President Dr Irfaan Ali, the government wants to train and attract a significant number of healthcare professionals to provide not just health care, but the best, world-class medical services to the people of Guyana.
Moreover, the government has presented a host of proposals for the health system, amounting to tens of billions of dollars that will modernise Guyana’s healthcare system.

The government, since 2020, has moved to continuously upgrade primary care access at more than 240 facilities across the country, including health centres, local area hospitals, and health posts. According to the government, the health sector will continue to see massive infrastructural and human resource development in all regions as Guyana continues its upward trajectory.