$17M Maternity Waiting Home commissioned in Annai

Expectant mothers in the North Rupununi will now benefit from the best care as the new Yvonne Jacobus Maternity Waiting Home was officially commissioned in Annai on Sunday.

Named after Yvonne Janet Jacobus, a midwife of the North Rupununi for over 50 years, the $17 million building is expected to house seven mothers at a time.
The home comprises individual rooms, a kitchen, washroom, bathroom facilities, a sitting area and hammocks on the porch for the expecting mothers. The establishment will be manned by a doctor from the Annai Health Centre who is expected to conduct regular check-ups.
The building is funded through an Inter-American IDB loan to target interventions in reducing Maternal deaths in Regions Three, Four, and Nine.
Speaking at the ceremony, Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence said that the facility was built following an evaluation to determine where maternal deaths were prevalent in Guyana.
“No woman should lose her life giving birth… We recognise also that coupled with all of those medical things that have been happening (high blood pressure and haemorrhaging) is that of access to health services,” Minister Lawrence said.

Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock noted that these were steps towards preserving the life of Indigenous women.
“This will not be the only activity that we will collaborate with the Ministry of Public Health on; we will continue to join forces to put together many other initiatives that will benefit the Indigenous peoples of Guyana,” Allicock said.
Both he and Minister Lawrence commended the work of Nurse Jacobus and stated that the naming of the home in her honour was most fitting given the legacy she has left behind.
Expectant mothers who are already being housed at the facility commended the initiative, noting that it was more convenient for those mothers who wish to have their deliveries done at the Annai Health Centre instead of embarking on a rough and lengthy journey to the Lethem Regional Hospital.
Annai Toshao Zacharias Norman also said he was pleased with the prompt response by the Government since the suggestions for the establishment of a waiting home and the provision of an ambulance made at the last National Toshaos Council (NTC) meeting have been fulfilled.
Also attending the commissioning of the waiting home were Public Health Ministry Permanent Secretary Colette Adams; Regional Executive Officer Carl Parker; North Rupununi District Development Board Chairperson Jaqueline Allicock; Regional Health Officer, Dr Naail Uthman, many villagers of Annai and Doctor-in-Charge of Annai’s Health Centre, Dr Gillian Joseph, who chaired the ceremony.