48 COVID-19 response housing units set up in 6 regions
Guyana is one of five countries in the Caribbean to benefit from pre-manufactured housing units from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and over 48 of these housing units have been assigned to several regions.
The Health Ministry through the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) in their quest to boost the regional capacity of the COVID-19 response, has been using these units as facilities for patients who require isolation or quarantine.
According to CDC’s Deputy Director Major Loring Benons, the pre-manufactured units have been set up in six of the ten administrative regions where an urgent need was identified.
One of the COVID-19 response housing units
Some 11 units were set up in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and 20 in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). Region One (Barima-Waini) benefited from eight units, while one was established in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); four in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and two in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice). The remaining two will be set up in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).
With a growing number of COVID-19 cases in Guyana, particularly in the hinterland regions, CDC Director General Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig has indicated a need for more of these units.
On Wednesday, the CDC handed over a large quantity of essential medical supplies to the Health Ministry – a much-needed approach that has been requested by health officials across the country. Colonel Craig handed over the items, which included 5730 N95 masks, 316,600 surgical masks, 46,250 rapid test COVID-19 kits, 200 overalls and 5000 gloves.
The supplies were donated through a collaborative arrangement with the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the World Health Organisation (WHO), Jack Ma Foundation and the United Arab Emirates. Guyana is one of 14 Caribbean territories to receive these supplies – which had arrived just a few hours prior at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on a special cargo flight. (G12)
