After only months of operation, the hospital’s emergency unit has been able to save the lives of eight persons.

This is according to Regional Chairman Gordon Bradford, who told the Department of Public Information, on Monday, the “close-to-home unit” is serving the needs of Barticians and regional residents.

Prior to 2017, patients were forced to travel to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation for emergency care. However, it was the initiative of Regional Health Officer Dr. Edward Sagala and regional planners that saw the unit becoming a reality.

“Since that unit was commissioned last year, we have saved eight lives because of that,” Bradford said. The child and maternal clinic has also been fitted with the necessary facilities to attend to pregnant mothers and babies.

The Chairman related that the Bartica hospital is slated for a major modernisation upgrade through funding from the Governments of Guyana and India. The rehabilitation will see some tiling and the conversion of wooden sections of the hospital to concrete.

The region is also constructing doctors’ quarters in Isseneru, Mazaruni and Phillipai. “All this is being done to take healthcare delivery closer to the people, so they don’t have to travel long distances to have the services of a doctor”, he noted.

According to him, Doctors quarters in Imbaimadi have already been completed, as well as improvements to several health centres in the region. Doctors are already serving residents of Kako, Chiwalla, Kamarang, Waramadong, and Paruima, all Region Nine villages.

“That is our vision, that within two to three years, we would like to see doctors in all the communities because the people deserve no less”, he also said.

According to the Chairman, development for all is not found only in physical infrastructure, but also when the “poorest of the poor” can have access to the best healthcare delivery and the social services available.

Source: DPI