Georgetown, Guyana, 21 December 2022 (PAHO) – On Monday 19 December 2022, the Smart Health Care Facilities in the Caribbean Project upgraded Mabaruma District Hospital which was officially handed over to the Ministry of Health. This remote Smart facility is one of five health care facilities in Guyana being retrofitted to become safer, greener, and more resilient to natural disasters and climate change. It is the fourth facility to be completed following the Diamond Diagnostic Centre in April 2021, the Lethem Regional Hospital in October 2021 and the Leonora Cottage Hospital on 9 August 2022. On 1 November 2020 Chung's Global Enterprise started the retrofitting works which despite being challenged by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the remoteness of the facility in region one was completed last month.
The Mabaruma District Hospital has new safety measures as well as green technology and improved patient flow.
The safety upgrades included the replacement of damaged roof frame members, improved roof structure, replacement of roof sheeting, repairs to parapets, replacement of damaged floor finishes, doors and windows, introduction of antimicrobial floor surfaces in critical clinical areas, upgrades to the electrical network including generator room, introduction of firefighting apparatus and improvement of fire detection devices.
The green upgrades provided for more efficient cooling, and ventilation, repairs to rainwater harvesting systems and storm water drainage, installed LED-lighting solar water heaters and a 40kw Photovoltaic system with battery back-up - all aimed at lowering the operating expenditures and environmental footprint and providing backup power and water.
The functional upgrades included an improved ambulance bay, new emergency room, expanded records room, introduction of an emergency triage, improved isolation room, reception and screening room. The Pharmacy was also expanded to accommodate more storage and improve efficiency. Three new consultation rooms were also added to better serve patients within the outpatient area.
Mr. Daniel Albrecht, Health Systems and Services Advisor, PAHO/WHO, Guyana said "This is a very important day for PAHO/WHO and the UK Aid and today we are proud to handover the keys of this Smart facility back to the Ministry of Health and the people of Region 1. While the retrofitting mainly focused on the structural and nonstructural aspects, we now have to focus on the functional aspect and the role of the health staff is very important in this regard. Earlier we completed the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, the Lethem Regional Hospital and the Leonora Cottage Hospital. We are hopeful for the handing over of the Paramakatoi Health Centre within the coming weeks. PAHO is committed to working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health for the success of the project which will ensure that all members of the communities are able to receive the best quality of healthcare possible while promoting environmental sustainability."
Ms. Jane Miller High Commissioner to Guyana told the participants: "I am really happy to be here for the handover of this critical upgraded health facility and see its transformation. This is the fourth of five facilities that have completed their retrofitting. Our UK grant aims to improve health services by ensuring health facilities are resilient to vulnerabilities, such as challenges as a result of climate change. The floodings and the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the importance of ensuring the health system is resilient to unexpected problems that may come along. The improvements will require careful and timely maintenance in order that they continue to operate and deliver their services most effectively."
Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Health noted that the SMART Hospital Project has helped the Ministry to refashion several health care facilities, 89 of which have already been assessed. "The team came up with a plan on how we can refashion them to become more climate resilient, more energy efficient and also not prone to flooding", he said. He further stated that the MOH plans to use these techniques in further development to ensure that all our health facilities are built to this standard."
Meanwhile, His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali in thanking all the partners involved highlighted that collective effort brings about much success in achieving any goal. "I want to thank the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom and by extension the people and Government of United Kingdom for their continued support and partnership with the Government of Guyana not only in health care but many other sectors. I would like to also thank the Pan American Health Organization for their continued support towards healthcare restructuring, modernization and the transformation that is taking place in the health care sector", the President said while emphasizing that it is truly a collective effort that brings success.
The £46.3M Strengthening Health Facilities in the Caribbean (Smart Hospital) project is currently implemented in 7 countries: Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Belize, Guyana and Jamaica. The project is funded by UKaid through its Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the Caribbean and implemented by PAHO in close collaboration with the Ministries of Health of the selected countries. Along with Diamond Diagnostic Centre, Lethem Regional Hospital and Leonora Cottage Hospital, the final health facility to be retrofitted under this project is Paramakatoi Health Centre, which is expected to finish during the second quarter of 2022.
