Healthcare delivery in Guyana’s hinterland is being transformed significantly under the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Administration as thousands of residents within the Matarkai sub-district will benefit from several new facilities at the Port Kaituma District Hospital, Region One.
The facilities, which include a modern operating theatre, upgraded maternal and child health unit, digital X-ray services and a maternal waiting home, were officially commissioned by Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony on Friday.
“This is not just about investing in buildings and equipment. We want to make sure these services are functioning and that people can benefit from them,” Dr. Anthony said as he outlined the government’s push to deliver world-class healthcare across every region.
The minister said the new operating theatre will allow emergency surgeries to be done in Port Kaituma, thereby reducing the need for patients to be transferred to the main referral hospital in Georgetown for urgent care.
He disclosed that within two weeks, specialist teams are expected to begin clearing the backlog of surgeries in the district as part of Guyana’s 60th Independence Anniversary.
Dr. Anthony also highlighted the rollout of advanced diagnostic technology through an Artificial Intelligence-powered Picture Archiving and Communication System (AI PACS), which will support doctors in reading digital X-rays.
He explained that the software can assess images in seconds, identify abnormalities such as pneumonia or tumours, and improve the accuracy of diagnoses by up to 99 per cent.
The Port Kaituma Hospital system will be linked with other hospitals nationwide, allowing specialists at the Georgetown Public Hospital and overseas experts to provide second opinions when needed.
The maternal waiting home will help expectant mothers from far-flung communities arrive safely before labour begins, reducing dangerous deliveries during travel, and helping Region One maintain zero maternal deaths.
The minister stressed that the government wants zero maternal mortality, not only in Region One, but across Guyana.
Beyond infrastructure, Dr. Anthony said the government is expanding healthcare human resources through scholarships, free University of Guyana programmes, regional pre-medical training, and decentralised medical education to train more doctors, medexes and health workers from hinterland communities.
He urged residents to identify young people for training opportunities, saying stronger local staffing is key to sustainable healthcare delivery.
He also pointed to major gains in disease control, including reductions in malaria cases, and ongoing plans to eliminate filaria, Chagas Disease, leprosy and tuberculosis.
Additionally, he encouraged residents to use government-funded health vouchers, laboratory screening programmes, eye-care support, and HPV vaccination initiatives aimed at preventing cervical cancer.
Director of Regional Health Services Dr. Cerdel McWatt said Region One is emerging as a model for healthcare development, noting that the commissioning represents another milestone in the government’s strategy to strengthen primary and secondary care in remote communities.
He said the expanded maternal and child health unit, improved diagnostics and new waiting home will improve outcomes for mothers and children while reducing preventable complications.
The director further praised the region’s leadership for aggressively pursuing development projects and ensuring they are completed.
According to Dr. McWatt, Region One has distinguished itself through innovation, with telemedicine, outreach expansion and improved service delivery already benefiting thousands of residents.
Meanwhile, Regional Health Officer Dr. Steven Cheefoon said the transformation of Region One’s health sector since 2020 has been unprecedented, with more than 300 residents already trained in nursing, allied health and technical fields, and over 200 others currently in training.
He said the region is deliberately building a local workforce so residents can be treated by professionals from their own communities.
Dr. Cheefoon noted that ambulance access has expanded from just one vehicle in the entire region to six ambulances, with two more expected this year.
He added that telemedicine now connects remote villages such as Sebai, Kwebanna and other hinterland communities to doctors and specialists, while new health posts continue to be built in previously underserved areas.
The Regional Health Officer also reported dramatic progress in malaria control, with cases dropping from more than 16,000 in 2020 to just 824 last year after nationwide distribution of treated bed nets and improved surveillance.
He said Region One is now positioned to lead the hinterland in quality healthcare delivery.
Friday’s commissioning at Port Kaituma forms part of the government’s wider investment drive to modernise healthcare infrastructure, strengthen staffing, digitise services and ensure residents in every part of Guyana receive timely, professional and high-quality medical care. [DPI]
