Sod turned for state-of-the-art $6.5B hospital in Lethem
The sod was turned on Sunday for a new, modern, state-of-the-art regional hospital in Lethem, Region Nine.
In his remarks, President Dr. Irfaan Ali stated that the new hospital, which will cost $6.5 billion, is intended to elevate the healthcare standard in the region.
He reminded the gathering of his government’s mandate to provide access to essential services and ensure their exceptional quality. According to President Ali, the new hospital will be well-equipped to achieve this vision.
It will feature two fully functional operating rooms, a modern ER and procedure room, diagnostic imaging services, digital X-rays, portable X-rays, a CT scanning machine, three ultrasound machines, outpatient specialized clinics, and a digital health control room.
“What more can we do to demonstrate that we love you, care about you, and want the best for each and every one of you?” the President questioned.
Furthermore, President Ali revealed that close to $8 billion has been injected into Region Nine’s healthcare sector over the past four years.
“In many developed countries, they would never invest this quantum of resources for 33,000 people. What this tells you is that geographic location or population size is not the bar we set for development. It is quality of life and making meaningful changes for every single citizen,” he said.
President Ali highlighted key accomplishments, including the reduction of patient referral rates to Georgetown and Boa Vista hospitals from over 20 per cent to 2.7 per cent and 3.7 per cent, respectively.
The region has also benefited from improved connectivity between health centres and the main hospital through the provision of 13 ATVs, six ambulances, five SUVs, and other vehicles.
“This not only means better healthcare delivery here but also a reduction in medevac costs. Everything is integrated,” the President added.
The government is also turning the sod for a new school in Tabatinga. President Ali used the opportunity to explain how these events reflect the interlink between healthcare and education, two critical elements of a country’s socioeconomic structure.
“If the healthcare system is not strong, you can’t support healthy children in the school system. If we don’t have healthy children in the school system, we can’t support students who will go on to contribute to the healthcare system and other sectors of the economy,” the Head of State emphasised.
Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony highlighted the transformation of Region Nine’s healthcare sector under the current government.
He noted the significant decline in maternal mortality and cited advancements in telemedicine and the training of local health workers as evidence of progress.
While 130 surgeries were completed at Lethem Hospital in 2020, Minister Anthony pointed out that over 1,000 surgeries were completed by the end of 2023.
According to the Minister, this surge reflects growing confidence in the regional hospital’s capabilities and facilities.
“We were able to fix the theatre in this hospital. We added a recovery room—these things were not there before,” he noted.
The Minister further explained that when the government assumed office, many healthcare posts nationwide were severely lacking in equipment and human resources.
“We started allocating funds to every region to improve these facilities. Three years ago, we gave this region $100 million to upgrade primary healthcare facilities. The next year, we provided $200 million, and this year, we have allocated $500 million to upgrade all facilities across the region,” Dr. Anthony said.
The construction of the hospital falls under a US$97 million IDB loan aimed at strengthening Guyana’s healthcare network. It is the first project under a conditional credit line for investment projects (CCLIP).
IDB Country Representative for Guyana, Lorena Salazar, said the hospital is a critical investment in the future well-being of the people of Region Nine, enhancing diagnostics, consultation, and patient management services.
[Extracted and modified from the Department of Public Information]
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