Consequential investments & modern services closer to communities

The expansion of Guyana’s public healthcare infrastructure is one of the more consequential investments in the country’s development. The opening of six new regional hospitals has demonstrated that improving healthcare delivery requires bringing modern services closer to communities, expanding diagnostic capacity, strengthening specialist care and reducing the time patients spend waiting for treatment.
The Diamond, Enmore, Bath, Number 75 Village, De Kinderen and Lima Regional Hospitals have collectively handled more than 145,000 outpatient visits since becoming operational last year. The figures presented by President Dr Irfaan Ali provide a useful measure of the demand for, and utilisation of, the expanded healthcare network.
More than 18,500 inpatient admissions, approximately 3700 surgeries and over one million laboratory tests have been recorded across the six facilities. The hospitals have also conducted approximately 82,200 X-rays, 37,700 ultrasounds and 13,680 CT scans. More than 101, 000 specialist clinic attendances and approximately 2400 deliveries further demonstrate the breadth of services now available outside the traditional concentration of major healthcare facilities in Georgetown.
A facility becomes meaningful when patients can obtain treatment, diagnostic services, specialist consultations, medication and emergency care without having to travel long distances or depend exclusively on the capital’s healthcare system.
The reported waiting times are particularly significant. An average emergency-care waiting time of approximately 10 minutes and an outpatient waiting time of about 30 minutes, if sustained consistently, would represent an important improvement in the patient experience. Efficiency in emergency care can have direct consequences for patient outcomes, while shorter outpatient waiting times can improve access and reduce pressure on both patients and medical personnel.
The performance of individual hospitals also illustrates the scale of the new network. Diamond Regional Hospital has recorded the highest inpatient and surgical workload, with 4705 admissions and 967 surgeries, while Enmore has registered 36,670 outpatient visits and 21, 131 X-rays. Number 75 has completed more than 351,000 laboratory tests, while Lima has conducted more than 289,000. De Kinderen has recorded 8760 ultrasounds and 61,700 laboratory tests, and Bath has provided 25,601 outpatient consultations, 58,755 laboratory tests and 11, 024 X-rays.
Such activity reinforces an important principle; healthcare infrastructure must be distributed according to population needs and supported by the human resources and technology required to make those investments productive.
At the same time, the positive performance should not lead to complacency. The acknowledgement that challenges remain within the healthcare system is important. New buildings and modern equipment cannot, by themselves, guarantee high-quality healthcare. Sustained investment in doctors, nurses, technicians, administrative personnel, maintenance, medicines, supplies and continuous professional development will determine whether the current gains are preserved.
The next phase of healthcare expansion, therefore, deserves close attention. Construction is progressing at hospitals in Moruca, Kato, Lethem and West Demerara, while the Bartica Hospital remains at the design stage. These projects should be pursued with the same emphasis on quality, accessibility, and operational readiness.
The delays affecting the Maternal and Paediatric Hospital and the new New Amsterdam Hospital complex, reportedly because of arbitration proceedings at the International Chamber of Commerce, also require continued attention. Major public healthcare projects carry significant implications for patients and communities, and every effort should be made to resolve obstacles while safeguarding public resources and contractual integrity.
The vision of a nationwide, modern healthcare system is also worthy of support as digitised medical records, artificial intelligence and telemedicine can improve coordination, reduce duplication, strengthen diagnosis and extend specialist expertise to communities where such services may not otherwise be readily available.
The ultimate measure of healthcare investment, however, will be the quality, accessibility, efficiency and reliability of care received by patients.
The six regional hospitals provide evidence that substantial progress is possible. Maintaining that progress will require disciplined management, sustained investment, and a focus on patient care.