The newly-built $13.7 million Barabina Health Post in Region One (Barima-Waini) has been commissioned on Saturday by Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal.
This new facility will improve access to vital healthcare for residents of Barabina and contiguous communities as the Government continues to provide better medical services in hinterland and riverine communities.
Region One Chairman Brentnol Ashley, Regional Vice-Chairperson Annansha Peters, Regional Executive Officer Tika Bisesar, Mabaruma District Medical Officer Dr. Mitchel Pierre, and residents of the community were present at the commissioning ceremony.
Following the opening ceremony, Minister Croal and the regional officials toured the new facility, during which he encouraged the healthcare workers to transform health services in the community through the new facility. Further, Croal said the PPP/C Government would continue to invest in the health sector with the aim of providing medical services to the citizens.
Housing Minister Collin Croal unveiling the plaque to commission the new facility
The 2023 budget has allocated some $84.9 billion to the health sector, which will go towards financing the construction of various paediatric and maternal hospitals and six new regional hospitals. Additionally, money would go towards rehabilitating and expanding existing hospitals, while over $500 million has been allocated to train healthcare professionals.
The Government is presently building several state-of-the-art health facilities across Guyana. There has even been talk of a stem cell facility to be constructed. In 2021, the sod was turned for a new $2 billion multi-specialty hospital, to be constructed at Suddie, on the Essequibo Coast.
In addition, budget 2023 will cater for a massive 1000 nurses being trained to enter Guyana’s healthcare system, following on the heels of the Government’s recent salary increases for healthcare workers.
The $12.7 million health post at Barabina, NWD
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony has emphasised that Government is focused on training and retaining nurses, not losing them to overseas competition. During his budget 2023 presentation, Dr Anthony also revealed that over 250 health centres and outposts have been upgraded between 2021 and 2022.
Moreover, he said that, over the last 2 years, his Government has trained 200 community healthcare workers
Minister Croal with other regional officials and health care workers
“to deliver the services at our health posts and health centres, because, under the APNU…not much training was done for health personnel. And over the last two years alone, we have trained more than 200 community health workers.”
