Construction of all health facilities to adopt ‘smart’ measures

Apr 24, 2018 News

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It is imperative that when health facilities are constructed they adopt measures that will essentially make them ‘smart’.
According to the World Health Organisation [WHO], health care facilities are ‘smart’ when they link their structural and operational safety with green interventions at a reasonable cost-to-benefit ratio. Moreover, the construction works planned for three major public health facilities will incorporate these measures.
This was the disclosure of Senior Minister of Public Health, Ms. Volda Lawrence. She revealed that with funding from the Government of India through its Export/Import [Exim] Bank, construction will be done at the West Demerara Regional Hospital in Region Three, the Suddie Hospital in Region Two and the Bartica Hospital in Region Seven.
“We have a contract with the Indian Government via its Exim Bank, through which these hospitals will be retro-fitted, and a lot of work will be done very soon…At Suddie we will have a brand new hospital,” Minister Lawrence informed.
The Minister’s disclosure was prompted during talks about moves to retro-fit five other health facilities as part of a United Kingdom Department for International Development-funded Smart Hospital Project. From a sum amounting to £38 million, which will facilitate similar smart upgrades to health facilities in six other regional territories, the project will see the Diamond, Mabaruma, Leonora, Lethem and Paramakatoi hospitals being targeted. The project is being implemented through PAHO/WHO in collaboration with the Public Health Ministry.
When asked if popular health facilities such as the Georgetown Public Hospital and the West Demerara Regional Hospital have already incorporated ‘smart’ measures, Minister Lawrence disclosed that these facilities will also have to be retro-fitted.
In order to realize this goal, she underscored the need for funding.
She moreover revealed that, “apart from the Georgetown Public Hospital, which is a corporation…they get a very large subvention from the Ministry of Public Health [as a result], the other hospitals will be undergoing works under the Government of India contract.”
In July of last year, government inked an agreement with the Government of India for some US$17.5M to be made available to modernise primary healthcare facilities.
Inking the agreement on behalf of Guyana was the Minister of Finance, Mr. Winston Jordan.
Minister Jordan said the resources will be used to refurbish the existing facilities and construct new buildings as well as procure medical equipment to furnish the new and renovated facilities.
India’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Venkatachalam Mahalingam, even as the contract was being inked, said the two sides were not only agreeing to the funds to modernise the three primary health hospitals, but his team was also prepared to make a list of companies which can act as project management consultants.
According to Minister Jordan, “When completed, residents of the immediate and surrounding areas can expect to benefit from the improved healthcare facilities and service. The provision of quality healthcare remains a primary objective of this government.”
He added, “An effective public health system is essential to providing care for the sick and for instituting measures that prevent diseases and promote the general well-being of the Guyanese populace.”
It is also expected that the upgrade of the hospitals will ease the burden currently placed on the Ministry of Public Health’s budget since the entity is responsible for evacuating hinterland patients to the Georgetown Public Hospital for highly-specialised care during emergencies.
According to Minister Lawrence, who witnessed the inking of the contract, a move in this direction will help her Ministry to fulfill its mandate of enhancing the delivery of primary healthcare in Guyana.
She noted that Government’s health vision 2020 characterises a working and comprehensive primary care programme, since the administration recognises the impact that such a service has on the health status of individuals.
“The ministry will work to ensure that this service reaches all of the communities in Guyana and that we cater adequately for their needs,” she added.
But according to the Public Health Minister, the projects will not only see new buildings being refurbished and new ones built, but also see them becoming smart.
The construction of these facilities will therefore entail measures that would see them remaining accessible and functioning at maximum capacity, during and immediately following the impact of a major disaster.
According to PAHO/WHO Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow, “it is widely acknowledged that climate change is a pervasive threat and is conceivably the biggest challenge faced by our generation, and therefore, what we decide to do will decide the fate of all future generations.”
At the time, Dr. Adu-Krow was speaking at a forum to announce the works to be done at hospitals identified to be a part of the Smart Initiative Project.

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