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Old
hospital tagged for new services
He
made the statement during the formal closing ceremony at the main
entrance to the hospital at Main and Charles Place. The
minister, senior health officers, Local Government officers and
nursing staff completed a walkthrough of the hospital before the
closing ceremony which included prayers by representatives of the
Muslim, Christian and Hindu faiths. Dr.
Ramsammy said the move from the old to the new was “another
milestone of our evolving history.” He
praised staff of the hospital for doing a great job over the years.
People,
he said, need to be reminded that “whilst we acknowledge that we
have not always done the best job, on most occasions we have done the
best that is possible.” He
told staffers that while some undesirable things may have happened at
the hospital thousands of good things had happened. “I
want as Minister of Health and on behalf of the President and Cabinet,
to publicly acknowledge the good work you have done over the years at
this hospital.” He
also told staffers present that the move from the old hospital to the
new building placed on them the additional responsibility of having to
satisfy higher expectations. He
stressed that people will expect more and it was incumbent on them to
try to meet and exceed these expectations. “We
must always work so that our tomorrow is better than yesterday.” Ramsammy reported that his ministry was mulling several options for the continued use of the old hospital but would prefer to make these public within the next two weeks.
“We
are not going to turn our backs on this building. This is a health
building. It will remain an integral part of our health system.” Those
present included Directors on the Health Management Committee,
Chairman of Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) Kumkarran Ramdass, Dr.
Ian Bower of Health Canada, Mr. Brad Keeler, an Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB) Consultant, and senior nursing and medical
staff including Matron Lazeena Dookie. The
formal ceremony for the closure of the hospital was chaired by Chief
Executive Officer of the Berbice Health Management Committee, Dr.
Vishwas Mahadeo.
Officials
explained that it was realised that the repairs would not solve the
infrastructural problems of the 119-year-old historical building. The
new hospital was built at a cost of US$13.2M through a grant aid
cooperation with Japan. The
project has been described as a symbol of the friendship and
cooperation between the people and Government of Japan and the people
and Government of Guyana with the Government of Guyana contributing a
total of G$56M to its completion. August
2002 - Japanese Government approves grant aid for hospital. April
2003 – Prime Minister Sam Hinds turns the sod for construction of
the first phase. March
2004 - Phase I Completed. October
27, 2004 - Keys handed over to Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy. The
project has also been described as “another symbol of a joint effort
between diverse peoples and nations in the fight against illnesses and
disease.” The
new hospital will be officially commissioned on November 19. The
contract was executed by contractors Morico and Kudohomini of Kitana
Construction Corporation with three local sub-contractors assisting in
various areas. Equipment
for the institution including clinical, laboratory, ward and service
items, was provided by another Japanese company Nissho Iwai
Corporation. The
hospital complex occupies some 18,779 square metres of sprawling prime
land at the northern edge of New Amsterdam and comprises seven
buildings - one main two-storey administrative block and six
surrounding one-flat buildings. It
is located between the New Amsterdam Technical Institute [NATI] and
the Canje Bridge to the north; the National Psychiatric Hospital to
the west, St. Aloysius Primary School to the immediate east and
Berbice High School to the south. The
hospital houses eight wards which can hold 114 beds, an Outpatient
Department, a central Clinical Department and an Administrative Block,
Operating theatres , a mortuary, a kitchen, sewing room, scullery,
canteen laundry and an electrical room. The
beds and medical equipment were provided under the grant at a cost of
approximately US$1.5M. State-of-the-Art
equipment include X-Ray Units, Ultrasound Scanners, Anaesthesia
Apparatus, Foetal monitors and Infant Incubators. Technicians
were trained to operate the State-of-the-Art equipment under the
Japanese grant. Japanese
technicians are expected to remain at the hospital for another three
months to train local staff in the proper use of the equipment,
officials said. The
facilities include a reservoir with a water capacity of about 10
tonnes and a 75 KVA generator is in place as a backup in case of
electricity blackouts. Management of the hospital is being undertaken by a Board of Directors led by Chief Executive Officer of the Berbice Health Management Committee, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo.
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