President Ali announces plans to introduce robotics surgeries

Aug 23, 2025 News

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…as new $6.6B Lima Regional Hospital opens

Kaieteur News – President Irfaan Ali and Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony on Friday joined residents of Region Two to officially commission the newly constructed $6.6 billion Lima Regional Hospitals.

The state-of-the-art health facility which was constructed by China CAMC Engineering Co., Ltd. (CAMCE), and China National Machinery Industry Corporation (SINOMACH), is one of 12 new hospitals the government has committed to construct. It is one of the six new regional facilities being established in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six.

Delivering the featured address on Friday, President Ali stated that the hospital is part of building the holistic ecosystem to support world-class healthcare and education.

“The future of healthcare in Essequibo begins now. This afternoon we are making a statement about that future. We are declaring that we have chosen transformation as the objective of our public healthcare reform. We are here to commission a hospital, but the real purpose here is that choice in ensuring an institution in Essequibo Coast that is better and fitter for purpose. We are inaugurating today yet another installment in our health revolution, a revolution in healthcare, a revolution in service and a revolution in how we value life in this country,” the president said.

Speaking on their decision to build a new hospital in the region, the president stated that it is to meet the new modern era of healthcare that the old structures cannot provide.

“Some have asked why build a new hospital in Lima when existing hospitals could have been upgraded. My friends if you only wanted to improve what we already have then yes, upgrade would have been enough, but we are not talking about incremental change, we are talking about a quantum leap in healthcare and when you walk through this facility you will see what I mean,” he mentioned.

He continued that, “You cannot put world-class service into old structures designed for another era. These are two completely different designs, completely designed for different era.  This is an era for modern healthcare, different standard, different regulations, different specifications and that is what the new facility is designed for.

The new hospitals which are part of building a strong impregnable foundation for the future, he disclosed that the government’s objective is to lead the way in the CARICOM region, and then have CARICOM integrated in the local healthcare system “because our prosperity must be the prosperity of the region. “

He further stated that the Lima Hospital and the 11 others facilities they are building will be widening the range of services so that the referral is no longer the rule but the rare exception.

Speaking on the improved services these facilities will offer, President Ali said he told Minister Anthony that the country must move towards conducting robotics surgeries.

“Because we want to be able to connect to doctors and specialists in Georgetown and anywhere else in the world and have robots assigned to theatres so that we can direct those surgeries where ever they are needed. This is where the world is going and this is where healthcare is going and there is no shortcut. We have to get there tomorrow and not 10 years and 15 years from now,” he stated.

Meanwhile, in his remarks, Minister Anthony revealed that the opening of the Lima Regional Hospital is a symbol of equity and a concrete step towards a world class healthcare system for Guyanese.

“This hospital exemplifies the leadership of His Excellency, President Mohamed Irfaan Ali who believes that quality healthcare is a right for everyone, not a privilege for selected few,” he said.

According to the minister, in Region Two, the main facility for healthcare has been Suddie Regional Hospital which has been complemented by a smaller hospital at Charity and several health centres along the coast.

The old Suddie Hospital, he noted, is incapable of delivering modern healthcare. The old facility was limited by open wards, poor facilities and a lack of specialised diagnostic equipment.

No longer will persons have to travel to Georgetown for specialised care, as the new hospital is outfitted with improved services to serve the region.

Among the new features and services of the Lima Hospital are are two operating theatres, a specialised birthing suite, an ICU with three beds, an HDU with two beds, a NICU, a dialysis section with two chairs, a blood banking facility,  a modern laboratory providing more than 150 different tests, 24-hour pharmacy, a 24-hour Accident and Emergency department, two ultras sound machines, modern X-ray machine, the first ever CT machine for the region, a dental department, an ophthalmology department, and audiology department.

There is also an oxygen plant, a mortuary and other amenities.

“With this facility equipped with all of these modern diagnostic tools, and capability for telemedicine and specialized care you will be able to get faster diagnosis, we’ll be able to treat you much quicker and we intend to have better outcomes at this hospital. This hospital has been able to create jobs during its construction but it is also going to create many more jobs for people who will work here,” the Minister added.

In her brief presentation, Regional Chairwoman, Vilma DeSilva noted that “This hospital will be the hospital of service to our people; we will have quality service at this hospital.”

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• Frank Anthony, Lima Hospital, robotics, surgeries

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