Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
Measures moving apace to reform West Dem. Hospital – CMO
A transformation for the West Demerara Regional Hospital is in the pipeline and according to Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, moves might even see the services at the hospital being twinned with the country’s premier health institution – Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud
The CMO was at the time addressing numerous daunting concerns that have surfaced about the Regional Health institution during an interview with this publication. Concerns at the health facility range from dilapidated infrastructure, a lack of adequate supplies to undertake regular services, as well as the quality of service offered.
In an attempt to address the glaring situation, Dr Persaud revealed that the GPHC, which has been developing its span in terms of services “has been offering to help and I think we are going to take them up on that offer to sort of twin the two hospitals.”
This strategic move, he explained, could see assistance being sent to the West Demerara facility if there is a shortage of staff in a particular area. The move could also extend to a patient exchange programme, where the patients who require less demanding services could be moved to the West Demerara hospital and be monitored there, the CMO revealed. “Some people don’t need an intense one on one nursing care as others, so we can utilise the facilities a little bit more rationally.”
Even as these measures are being contemplated, Dr Persaud noted that efforts are being made to ascertain the root cause of the problems that have emerged at the Regional Hospital. He revealed that his vision for the hospital is for it to be restored to a level where it is recognised as a full Regional Hospital, providing the complete range of services for paediatrics, obstetrics, surgeries and internal medicine.
Additionally, he spoke of the need to address the ambulatory service, even as he alluded to having adequately trained, qualified medical, nursing and other allied health professionals such as those in the laboratory, x-ray and pharmacy departments.
He nonetheless lauded the work of the hospital’s health centre, which according to him, has been very productive.
“I think it has done its work pretty well. They (staffers) have been able to not only provide regular antenatal infant care, but they have also been able to hold regular clinics looking at high risk pregnancies.”
However, even in the face of this laudable achievement, the hospital’s reputation has been diminished with sections of its infrastructure being regarded as less than desirable.
The West Demerara Regional Hospital
Addressing such challenges faced by the hospital has been deemed somewhat complicated, since according to Dr Persaud, Regional hospitals usually fall under the Regional Administration.
The Regional body, he noted, has a role to play in maintaining the infrastructure, even though the Ministry of Health can advocate and sometimes even press for the implementation of some required works.
“A lot of the actual works that need to be done are carried out by the Region through their budgetary allocations. I myself am disappointed that sometimes things are not done quickly, because Region Three has been one of the fastest growing Regions in this whole country. It has moved rapidly up to being the third largest (health facility), even challenging Region Six for the second spot (after the GPHC).
He added that the impacting status of the hospital was linked to development in the area of education and service delivery, the latter having diminished in recent times.
“One of the challenges is that it is so close to Georgetown, and a lot of times people bypass the services there. Of course some people would’ve had previous experiences where the hospital might not have been working at capacity and did not respond as it should have.”
We need to address some of these issues and try to get everyone back on track and build people’s confidence in that facility.”
In this regard, efforts have been directed towards pressing the Region to undertake infrastructural work among other things. Dr. Persaud disclosed that discussions have already been engaged with officials such as the Regional Health Officer, the Director of Standards and Technical Services and the Laboratory Coordinator, all of whom have been working towards the improvement of the hospital.
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