Health Minister reveals that 53 health centres upgraded in Region Nine in 2022

Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine) residents are benefitting from improved healthcare facilities as some $100M GUY was expended for the upgrade of a number of health centres/posts.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, during Thursday’s COVID-19 Update, revealed that 53 communities in Region Nine have benefitted in 2022.

He noted that $1B GUY was set aside in this year’s national budget to improve healthcare facilities in all 10 administrative regions.

“In each of these facilities, we would have spent varying sums of monies. Some of them were in a better state than others. So those that were in better states, we spend minimal amounts… and those that required more spending to upgrade them, we spent a lot more money there,” the minister noted.

Katoka in Central Rupununi, Katur in South Central Rupununi, Churlkadarnau in Deep South and Masakenari also known as Gunns Village are some of the communities that received upgrades.

“Gunns Village for example was a small health post. Now, we have now upgraded that, added new examination rooms, waiting areas and a sanitation block and so forth. So, it’s now a far better facility than how it was one-year ago,” the Minister explained.

In addition, a recently trained midwife was stationed at the Gunns Village health centre, providing much-needed care to expectant and new mothers there.

In a media related interview, Toshao of Gunns Village, Paul Chekema said that the community has benefitted from several developmental projects including the renovation of the primary school and a teacher’s quarters.

It was noted that most of the upgrades are completed while some are ongoing.

Meanwhile, work will continue on the regional hospitals at Anna Regina, De Kinderen, Diamond, Enmore, Bath, Number 75 Village and the Paediatric and Maternal Hospital at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

It was disclosed that this forms part of President Irfaan Ali’s vision of creating a world-class health system for all Guyanese.