Inoperable West Demerara Theatre stymies surgeries

Aug 20, 2009 News

— New generator to boost hospital’s operation

The operating theatre at the West Demerara Regional Hospital has not been inoperable for several months, a state-of-affairs Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr Millicent Benjamin, is hoping will be reversed in the very near future.
According to Dr Benjamin during an interview with this newspaper some technical difficulties had developed in the theatre, resulting in the malfunction of the air conditioning system and a transformer, thus making the facility inoperable.
Several technical persons have so far diagnosed the problem, but according to the RHO, each one has offered the hospital administration a different diagnosis. As a result, she noted that “We couldn’t just really go and get somebody to fix whatever is there. What we need is for someone to come and diagnose the problem and give us a realistic report.”
The last technician who examined the theatre about three weeks ago was drawn from the Ministry of Public Works. Following that examination the hospital was informed that a report would be forwarded to the Ministry of Health. But according to Dr Benjamin, she has since been aware that even the Minister of Health had been trying to make contact with the Public Works Ministry to get a copy of the report.
“We really want to know what the problem is. We don’t just want to fix a problem then it occurs again within the next week…that is why it is taking so long.”
And due to the inability to perform full-scale surgery in the theatre, the surgeon attached to the hospital has since been transferred to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.
However, according to Medical Superintendent, Dr Ravi Persaud, minor surgeries are still being conducted by another doctor.
It is the anticipation of both doctors, though, that the theatre will very soon become operable. “Together with the Ministry of Health we are trying to see if we can get the report as early as possible,” said an optimistic Dr Benjamin.
She related that even if the Region’s budget does not have sufficient funds “we can see if we can get some other funding to purchase new transformers and new ACs, if necessary.”
NEW GENERATOR
The hospital recently completed its budget plans and according to the RHO, the need for a new generator currently tops the list. She said that a new generator has been one of the crucial items the hospital has budgeted for, for three consecutive years.
The generator currently being utilised by the hospital is more than two years old and has proven to be problematic on a consistent basis. This, as a result has been a cause for concern when there is a power outage. Complaints had reached this newspaper that once there is a blackout, night staff are forced to immediately transfer emergency cases to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation as the generator could not provide electricity to the out-patient section of the hospital.
“The generator we have functioning cannot push the amount of electricity for the entire hospital. So when there is a blackout some areas are left without electricity”
However, this problem has been addressed in the interim with the procurement of rechargeable lamps for the out-patient and maternity units, Dr Benjamin disclosed, even as plans for a new generator to power the entire facility takes shape.

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Inoperable West Demerara Theatre stymies surgeries

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