-President Ali tells contractors to mobilise more manpower, increase shifts to complete maternal, pediatric hospital, warns of liquidated damages

CONTRACTORS have been advised to hasten the construction process at the state-of-the-art maternal and pediatric hospital in Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara.
During a visit to the construction site for the country’s maiden pediatric facility, President Dr. Irfaan Ali lamented his dissatisfaction at the current pace of works.

Pressing the respective technical personnel on site, President Ali quizzed both the contractor and consultant on the deliverables of the external and internal infrastructure of the facility.
It was disclosed that the structural frame is 99 per cent complete, while cladding works have also begun.

Sub-contractors also have begun mobilising to commence works on the internal infrastructure soon. However, President Ali pointed out that the project is already behind, and more manpower and simultaneous work are needed.
“We are not satisfied with the pace at the moment, and we will have to shift our deadline. It is important that we get this hospital.”

The contractor informed the president that internal works could be completed by October next year, however, the Head of state said: “That is not going to fly with us; that is far beyond the project time. We are going to be charging liquidated damages.”
The facility will have 256 beds, covering 24,000 square meters gross floor areas, and an imaging suite, which will include CT scans, X-rays, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanning equipment.
“This is the highest standard that you will get for pediatric care. The design and construction take into consideration the most modern equipment to match what the hospital is expected to deliver,” President Ali said.
President Ali keenly pointed out that the government has already begun discussions to train the personnel needed for the state- of-the art facility.

“We will definitely have to import some specialised skills in the first phase of management of the hospital. We have already started that, looking at various areas that we will need specialists, so they will train our locals, of course. This hospital and the other regional hospitals tell the story of how rapid we have to train our nurses and medical technicians and so on,” he said.

While featuring many newer technologies, a key component of the facility will be its unique infrastructure, which is envisioned for creating an ambient and conducive environment for children.
“Because it’s a children’s hospital, we will have a lot of natural lighting, a lot of gardening, a lot of fountains to make it conducive for children, thus making the healing process far easier,” the President said.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony noted that the facility will be outfitted with 24-hour accident and emergency services, alongside several primary care services.
According to the health official, the new hospital will have many new features for the first time in the history of the country.

“This, of course, will be a 24-hour service that we will be providing. The imaging suite here is much more extended, so, apart from CTs and ultrasounds and so forth, this hospital will be the first public hospital with an MRI, and, in terms of the theatre, we have four operating theatres, one of which would specialise in cardiac surgeries,” Dr. Anthony said.

It is the first project to come out of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Guyana and Austria, which was first signed in 2018, while the EUR$149 million (G$31.9 billion) contract for the hospital was signed on June 8, 2022.
The new facility is expected to not only serve Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), but will be a Level Five referral centre for women and children of all regions in Guyana who are referred for specialised healthcare not available in their region. The three patient-care groups that will be referred to the hospital will be maternal mothers, neonatal care, and pediatrics.

The project also marks Guyana’s first UK Export Credit Agency financing, and is being done in accordance with the FIDIC yellow book standards, a standard contract where the design is carried out by the contractor.
The hospital is being built by VAMED Engineering, which was appointed by the Government of Austria. Headquartered in Austria, VAMED Engineering is a global provider for hospitals and healthcare facilities.