Guyana gets $228M mobile army hospital from U.S.

Dec 01, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – The U.S. Embassy, through the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Humanitarian Assistance Program, has donated a US$1.124 million mobile field hospital to Guyana’s Civil Defence Commission (CDC) in support of emergency relief efforts.

The U.S. Embassy said in a press release stated that the multi-purpose facility will provide crucial medical services and emergency treatment across the country in the event of a disaster or disease outbreak. The facility will be housed at the CDC’s site at Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD), and will be available for deployment nationwide.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips, who is performing the functions of President, on Thursday attended the handing over ceremony of the field hospital at Playfield, Base Camp Ayanganna, Georgetown.

In his remarks, Brigadier Phillips expressed the Government of Guyana’s appreciation for the donation, which he described as a form of continued support in the area of security cooperation with the aim to boost resilience of disaster preparedness.

He acknowledged the invaluable role of SOUTHCOM in identifying and addressing the capability gaps in humanitarian assistance and disaster management, particularly after hosting the recent TRADEWINDS exercise.

The mobile hospital that was donated to CDC

“This is not just about disaster; this is about contributing to the development of Guyana. Our deepest appreciation to SOUTHCOM and to the Government and people of the United States of America for this donation, and for being with us as we continue on this path of security cooperation that will only lead to the improvement of the lives and livelihood of the people of Guyana,” he said.

The present commander of SOUTHCOM, General Richardson, was also commended for the ongoing engagement and dedication in delivering on identified needs to bridge capability gaps in Guyana, citing previous collaborations such as the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at Base Camp Stevenson, a DRM facility in Region Nine and the expected establishment of an EOC/Warehouse complex at Mahdia in Region Eight.

Highlighting the importance of the field hospital, Prime Minister Phillips who holds responsibility for disaster management in Guyana, outlined the donations’ role in advancing Guyana’s implementation of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) strategy.

He said, “This facility here will help us to greatly advance in our implementation of comprehensive disaster management in Guyana, making us more effective and more able to bring relief to the people.”

Moreover, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole D. Theriot said, “As Guyana works to make major improvements to its emergency disaster responsiveness in the near-term; the United States Government is committed to supporting the people of Guyana and to strengthening our incredible partnership. We share many common values, and we are committed to expanding our partnership to address shared threats. Together, the United States and the Government of Guyana can uphold our commitment to bettering the lives of the people of Guyana.”

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emergency, Guyana’s Civil Defence Commission (CDC), TRADEWINDS, U.S. Embassy, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Humanitarian Assistance Program

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