Regional hospitals site preparation to begin soon

An estimated $16.1B has been allocated in the 2022 budget for major expansion and
developments in the health sector. As such, from that sum, money will be utilized to construct
six modern regional hospitals at Anna Regina, Tuschen, Diamond, Enmore, Bath and No.75
Village, Corentyne.
Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, while giving the COVID-19 update on Wednesday said the
preliminary preparations for the facilities have been completed. He explained that the ministry is
now awaiting bids for land preparation.   “Site preparation is the beginning of the project. So, we
have completed the preliminary preparations in terms of where we are going to be locating these
sites, making sure that the ministry has possession of the land so all of that has been done,” Dr.
Anthony said.
He continued, “Right now, we have put out a tender for persons to do preparatory work at each
of the sites.”  The minister added that site preparation would entail levelling the ground,
removing obstacles from the site and ensuring there is drainage, water and electricity at the site.
Dr. Anthony stressed that after these preparations are made a “more formal construction of the
hospital itself” will begin.
The health minister revealed that additionally, $39M was set aside to extend the mental health
ward at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Minister Anthony said the
expansion will cater for the installment of another 15 to 20 beds in the ward. “So, we are hoping
that maybe in another couple of months, that we’ll be able to complete that so we’ll have more
accommodation there for acute mental health patients,” he revealed. He said that the government
in 2021 had set aside $26M in the national budget for the construction of the 18-bed mental
health ward at the GPHC. He added that this year’s expanded ward will improve patient care and
benefit more patients struggling with mental health.