$40.7M allocated for special swing doors at GPHC

Dec 31, 2017 News

Several special purpose swing doors are to be purchased and installed for operating theatres at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) at a cost of $40.7 million.
The procurement process started months ago and ended with Cabinet awarding the contract to K.P Thomas & Sons Contracting Inc. last week for the doors to the hospital’s six operating theatres.
Health officials have since defended the cost, telling Kaieteur News that the doors are ‘special-grade’ that meets international health standards to aid the continued infection prevention and control efforts at GPHC.
When contacted, Chief Executive Officer of GPHC, Brig. (ret’d) George Lewis said that the acquisition of the doors is part of continued efforts to improve facilities in the health sector.
“These operating theatre doors are absolutely necessary because the current doors are not performing the functions that they are supposed to perform which increases the chances of patentees being infected during surgeries,” Lewis stated.
He added that the doors are unavailable locally and as such they have to be procured, imported and installed.
“This contract deals with not only with the procurement, but the installation of the doors,” Lewis noted.
Kaieteur News understands that the contracting company will supply a total of 17 doors, 15 of which are to be installed and two will be retained as spares.
Specifications of the doors to be supplied have been obtained by Kaieteur News. The doors are to be ultra-hygienic glass reinforced polyester and wrap resistant to withstand heavy use without denting or bending.
Further, all of the doors are expected to be rust resistant and are not expected to swell nor corrode.
The doors should be installed with seamless lightweight construction with no voids, ledges or lippings with an air tight fit to ensure that contamination does not enter or escape from the operating rooms during procedures.
According to health officials, the doors which have a 25 year guarantee, feature an ergonomic design which facilitates easy entrance and exit for surgeons suited and scrubbed for surgery. It allows surgeons to lock the door from inside.

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