Giant steps in our public health care system

Source: Guyana Chronicle, 29th February 2008

Guyanese have over the years been very impressed with the strides made in our public health care system.

Unlike years gone by, when all and sundry used to refer to our public hospitals as death traps because of the dilapidated state of the institutions and the regular shortages of nurses, doctors and drugs, the situation has completely reversed now and our health facilities throughout the country have taken a quantum leap towards improvement.

Rapid and massive improvements in any country’s health sector are only two of the basic prerequisites in building a population free from some of the more serious ailments, and lead towards the building a healthy nation.

Being mindful of the fact that sick people cannot produce, we recognise with plaudits the Herculean efforts by the government to build a strong and healthy nation.

We have new, state-of-the art units at various facilities throughout the country, with the desired complement of medications, accommodation and public health personnel, including doctors and nurses.

A health sector to be proud of
This year alone, $12.1B has been allocated to the health sector with capital expenditure being $3.3B and current at $8.8B. This is further evidence that the government is seriously mindful of the health of the population.

The people are mindful of the government’s efforts to provide proper and efficient health care to the country’s citizens and appreciate the various sums to be spent to realise this goal.

They also welcome the $1.2B for the completion of the new modern Linden hospital and the Georgetown Hospital In-patient facility.

Apart from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, new, modern hospitals have been reconstructed at Diamond on the East Bank Demerara, Suddie on the Essequibo Coast, Leonora on the West Coast Demerara, and Mahaicony on the East Coast Demerara to accommodate diagnostic centres.

These facilities will indeed play a pivotal role in ensuring the care, health and safety of patients with various ailments.

Initially these centres will be manned mostly by Cuban health care workers, including doctors. During their stint here, the Cuban medical personnel will also train Guyanese health workers in the various fields. The trained Guyanese will later take over the centres.

Guyanese from all walks of life welcome the efforts and developments put in the very important health sector, acknowledging that when the various health facilities become fully operational, the sick and lame will no longer have to travel far distances to be examined by a doctor and receive medical attention.

People believe that in a society like ours, and with an ever growing population, no amount of money injected in the health sector is too much when caring for both the young and elderly is considered.