ON the heels of the completion and subsequent opening of a US$5 million hospital at Leonora in Region Three, the Sheriff Group of Companies has disclosed details about the ultra-modern specialty hospital it is presently building at Aubrey Barker Road, just off of the Mandela-Eccles Highway.

The estimated cost of this venture is US$200 million and upon completion will not only offer world-class services, but 80 per cent of its staff will be Guyanese.

With Guyana’s new status as an oil producing nation, there is need to modernise many of the sectors so that the country can look the part and reflect this uptick in its standing. The health sector and by extension the quality of services offered to citizens and visitors are among the top priority areas.

It’s refreshing to know that a local company has decided to take a chance and invest in an area that needs lots of work if it is to be on par with countries such as the Unites States and England.
Of note is the company’s intention to focus on medical tourism which will require a huge amount of work. The company seems confident that it can pull this off as it is already speaking about expanding this aspect of its business to Regions One or Two, Nine and 10.

It is pellucid that a lot of thought went into a venture of this magnitude and what we have seen thus far is most obviously the result of years of meticulous planning and precise execution of the company’s visions.

Medical tourism is big business and if Guyana can successfully pull it off, this country’s imagine will he boosted immensely. We would be able to confidently rival many of the developed countries.

However, Sheriff Group of Companies will need help as this will be no easy goal to accomplish. There will be setbacks and disappointments but they must be used as learning experiences to ensure that a vision that will not only benefit the company, but Guyana and all of its citizens, is realised.

One of the company’s officials, as a teaser, had disclosed that the new facility will offer services such as cardiac surgery, organ transplant, cancer screening and treatment, bone-reconstruction surgery, retinal and eye surgeries, neurology, dialysis, urology, psychotherapy and counselling, plastic surgery, dental services, internal medicine and extensive laboratory testing, including culture tests and biopsies.

He stressed on how affordable it would be, even though he acknowledged that the company intends to make a profit given the amount of investment it will be making. The services outlined above are costly when taking into consideration the economic circumstances of the average Guyanese. For this reason it is essential to avoid using the word “affordable” loosely as affordability for people on the coast may not be affordability for those living in Region One or Two.

This facility and the one at Leonora will feature the latest technological changes in medicine and will therefore give Guyanese access to modern healthcare practices.

Sheriff’s achievements must not be viewed in isolated. It must be remembered that the government of the day is also making valuable contributions to the healthcare sector.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali has repeatedly indicated his government’s commitment to modernising the healthcare system and giving all Guyanese irrespective of which part of the country they live, access to quality healthcare.

Recently the sod was turned for a $6.6 billion regional hospital at Plantation Bath, West Coast Berbice. This cost is included in the $40 billion that government has set aside to construct six hospitals in various parts of the country.

This alone is evidence of government’s intention to ensure medical care is accessible in every corner of this country.

The Ministry of Health has been playing its part as well. It has announced a number of interventions which includes the upgrading of health facilities and the expansion of its training net to capture more persons who have an interest in the medical field.

Recently, it was disclosed that the nurses’ hostel at Suddie will be extended so that it could accommodate more persons desirous of pursing such a career. Those living in far flung communities in the region will be accommodated there.

So far, there have been noticeable improvements in the healthcare sector. Given the recent developments and the plans that were announced, that list is likely to become a very long one.