New Mabaruma ‘smart hospital’ see specialist doctors being deployed

A number of specialist doctors will be deployed to the Mabaruma hospital in Region One, by
January 2022. This is to provide services at the institution, which was recently upgraded to a
‘smart hospital’.
It was revealed that the ‘smart hospital’ initiative links structural and operational safety and
disaster resilience, while maintaining a ‘green’ status in operations. Govertment said that the
$835M (US$4.175 million) project is a collaborative effort between the Pan-American Health
Organisation (PAHO) and the United Kingdom Department for International Development
(DFID). Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal, who was addressing Hosororo residents at
the weekend, explained that since taking office in August 2020, the government has been
investing heavily in the health sector. He assured that this is to ensure world-class healthcare
services is provided in Guyana.
Croal revealed that the upgrade is one of the many initiatives set to boost the delivery of
healthcare services in the region. “We have right now a team of doctors that are lined up to be
posted here in Mabaruma to strengthen the healthcare providers, so that we will see several
specialised services being offered,” the minister said. He continued, “At the end of the day, what
we want to achieve, is that we must have fewer persons travelling to Georgetown, fewer persons
being medevacked and moreso, fewer persons leaving the region to receive healthcare.”
It is estimated to cost approximately $16.7M (US$800,000), the hospital will feature a  new
Accident and Emergency (A&E) department, a renovated recovery room, a state-of-the-art
Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a refurbished kitchen, a sterilisation room, as well as two surgical
theatres.
Additionally, X-ray, gynaecology, ophthalmology and other healthcare services will be offered at
the health institution. Croal added that the regional administration intends to intensify its medical
outreaches in the riverine and surrounding communities to assist those unable to travel to the
township for medical assistance.