SURGICAL services at the Suddie Public Hospital continue to be a cornerstone of quality healthcare delivery on the Essequibo Coast, with an impressive 406 surgeries successfully performed from January to June 2025.

Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr Ranjeev Singh, commended the hospital’s dedicated team for sustaining high-quality surgical services despite operating with only one main surgical theatre.
He explained that both emergency and elective procedures have been handled efficiently across key specialties, ensuring round-the-clock access to critical interventions.
Providing a breakdown of the procedures, Dr Singh noted that the hospital performed 204 surgeries in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OBGYN), 155 in General Surgery, 101 Orthopaedic procedures and 42 paediatric cases spanning multiple specialties.

Dr Singh said the surgical department remains fully active, managing both emergency and elective (cold case) surgeries.
Dr Singh said that the Ministry of Health is committed to ensuring that surgeries are available within the region and persons don’t have to travel outside of the region.
Dr Singh said Emergency operations are facilitated 24/7, while elective surgeries are scheduled through the hospital’s specialised outpatient clinics.
These outpatient clinics ensure that patients are thoroughly assessed, optimised and safely prepared for surgery.

Specialty clinic days are assigned to specific disciplines: General Surgery on Mondays, Orthopaedic on Tuesdays, Gynaecology on Wednesdays, and Paediatrics on Fridays.
Similarly, the Operating Theatre follows a set schedule with Gynaecology surgeries held on Mondays and Fridays, General Surgery on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Orthopaedic cases on Wednesdays. Paediatric surgeries are conducted as needed across the week.

Dr Singh explained that the Ministry of Health remains committed to decentralising surgical services, reducing the need for patients to travel outside of Region Two for operations that can now be safely done at Suddie.
“Some of these services were not previously available in the region and the current government is ensuring that they are now accessible to the people of Essequibo,” Dr Singh said.

Residents with surgical concerns are encouraged to visit the hospital’s outpatient clinics for evaluation and inclusion in the surgical programme.
Dr Singh also expressed sincere gratitude to the medical team, saying their dedication continues to elevate healthcare delivery and outcomes in the region.

Additionally, residents of the Essequibo Coast and along the Pomeroon River will soon have access to world-class, reliable healthcare services with the completion of the $6.6 billion Lima Regional Hospital which will be commissioned soon.

As the first hospital of its kind on the Essequibo Coast, the Lima Regional Hospital will include a CT scanner and a range of other diagnostic tools, which will eliminate the need for residents to travel to Georgetown for specialised services.

The facility will serve as a primary healthcare hub, improving patient access to advanced imaging and other vital services.
It would feature two operating theatres; multiple outpatient clinics; ultrasound machines; 75 beds, a 24-hour accident and emergency service, a modern laboratory, digital X-rays and living quarters for health practitioners.

Additionally, Lima and Georgetown medical institutions will form a collaborative network, allowing coastal physicians to consult with Georgetown specialists on complex cases.
The Suddie Hospital is also undergoing a $40 million upgrade to improve its wards and washrooms to better accommodate patients.