$38M retrofitted NICU commissioned at Suddie Hospital

Jan 14, 2024 News

Kaieteur News – The $38M expansion of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has been completed and was on Friday commissioned by Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony.

The expansion of the NICU means that the hospital will no longer have a three-bed NICU but a 10-bed unit.

The NICU is said to be fully equipped with backup oxygen lines and modern equipment including paediatric and neonate ventilators, infusion (IV) pumps, incubators and radiant warmers.

The newly expanded and retrofitted $38 million Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Suddie Hospital.

At the brief commissioning ceremony, Minister Anthony stated that the expansion to this NICU forms part of a US$500,000 extended project to all regional hospitals that will soon undergo upgrades to their NICU facility. He stated that this expansion will help save a number of premature infants and provide quality care to infants in all regions of Guyana.

Kaieteur News understands that last year, some 1000 babies were delivered in Region Two, of which 86 were admitted to the NICU for specialised care and treatment.

At his Ministry’s year-end press conference in December, Dr Anthony said that in 2023 six neonatal units at six regional hospitals across the country were upgraded and equipped.

Meanwhile, during his visit in the region, the minister also stopped at Aurora Village where he commissioned the newly renovated Health Post.

According to the ministry, the one-flat building which has been out of commission for over five years was renovated at approximately $5.4 million.

The upgraded Aurora Health Post on the Essequibo Coast. (Photo courtesy, Ministry of Health)

The fully staffed and equipped health facility will now provide maternal and child health, antenatal, outpatient and chronic disease services to residents in the community.

It was reported that the Health Ministry in 2023 expended approximately $2 billion to upgrade 271 health facilities including staff quarters across the country.

Commissioning the newly expanded Unit on Friday was Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony. Minister and his team along with Regional officials were on the Essequibo Coast on Friday visiting several projects ongoing and undertaken in the health sector.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

commissioned, Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Health, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), retrofitted, Suddie Hospital

Latest News