The government is investing $235 million to upgrade No. 1 Dispensary and Dorothy Bailey health facilities in Georgetown, aimed at expanding the level of medical care being provided for the residents.
Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony provided the update during a recent sod-turning ceremony at Campbellville.
“The government is expending $180 million to do back No. 1 Dispensary. This year, we are upgrading Dorothy Bailey [health centre]. The government is going to spend $55 million to upgrade that facility,” Minister Anthony stated.
A total of $294 million was spent to modernise Festival City Health Centre, bringing it to a level to improve patient care.
The health facility, he added, is now under the management of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Minister Anthony elaborated, “I remembered when we walked through there, there were many services that could not have been delivered because of the way that it was constructed. And while they wanted to do X-rays and things like that, they didn’t make allowance for the x-rays. So, we had to build a completely new section to put in X-rays and things like that…The people in that part of the city are getting excellent care.”
Additionally, construction has begun on the new health centre at Canal No. 2 Polder on the West Bank of Demerara.
Over the past few years, the government has remained unflagging in its commitment to modernising health facilities countrywide, ensuring that improved healthcare services are offered.
These include health facilities at Agricola, East La Penitence, David Rose, Alberttown, Lodge, No. 1 Dispensary, Sophia, North East La Penitence, Campbellville, Industry, and Kitty.
Within this period, 25 new health centres and posts have been built nationwide, expanding healthcare access.
He also pointed out that the government has a strong health programme to boost healthcare access at the community level.
“We manage close to 380 [health] facilities across the country. We have spent a lot of time upgrading these facilities. So, whether it’s a health post or centre, we have upgraded them all to ensure that patients coming to us would get better conditions where they can wait and [receive] service,” Dr Anthony highlighted.
The construction and renovation of health centres are part of the government’s broader efforts to decentralise and expand healthcare services provided to Guyanese.
In addition to these efforts, six new regional hospitals will be operationalised this year, providing specialised care to thousands of residents. (Department of Public Information)
