Food For The Poor donates medical equipment to Health Ministry

Food For The Poor (FFTP) Guyana Inc on Wednesday donated a quantity of medical equipment and supplies that will help Guyana’s public health sector meet the country’s United Nations (UN) obligations.

The UN Sustainable Development Goal #3 requires all countries ensure their citizens enjoy healthy lives and to “promote well-being for all at all ages”. Guyana has embraced the covenant and Wednesday’s donation is slated for the West Demerara Chest Clinic in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and the Port Mourant Maternity Hospital in Region Six, (East Berbice-Corentyne).
The items from FFTP included baby bassinet nets, incubators, recliner chairs, infant warmers, vital sign monitors and patient chairs, hospital beds and mattresses along with a number of pallets of medical supplies.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony at FFTP’s bond in South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kent Vincent pledged the organisation’s continued support for the local public health sector.
“Food For The Poor as you know is interested in the health of the country and so every month we give medical items and pharmaceuticals and other medical equipment to the hospitals through the Ministry of Public Health and today we are very happy to be able to donate these things to the Ministry,” Vincent said.
He stated that the medical equipment and supplies costing millions of dollars were donated by a number foreign-based organisations.
Meanwhile, Dr Karen Cummings, Minister within the Public Health Ministry, said the items donated will assist the Government of Guyana to fulfil the mandate of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal # 3 by ensuring good health for all and the Public Health Ministry’s goal of ensuring that efficient and effective high-quality healthcare services are affordable and accessible to all Guyanese.
“Today, we are here to receive once again a very timely and much-appreciated donation of crucial items to two of our major hospitals that serve large sections of our population, the West Demerara Regional Hospital and the Port Mourant Hospital,” the Minister said.
Cummings noted that the West Demerara Regional Hospital will house a new tuberculosis (TB) Step Down Care Unit that will offer superior care to patients who have been diagnosed with TB and are in need of additional care to guarantee full recovery from this contagions devastating disease.
“Construction works have commenced at the Tuberculosis Step Down Care Unit and are in the final stages of completion. The Tuberculosis Step Down Care Unit, is in need of furnishings in order for it to be officially opened and to commence offering services to patients. Therefore, the Ministry of Public Health is very grateful to the Management and staff of the Food For The Poor Inc for supplying some hospital beds and vital sign monitors that would allow the healthcare professionals to offer efficient and effective care to the patients who will be treated at this facility,” she said.
The Minister pointed out that the items donated to the Port Mourant Hospital will be used to improve the care offered to the neonates who will be treated at this facility.
Also Present at the handing over ceremony with the Junior Minister were Dr Ravendra Dudhnath, Regional Health Officer, Region Three; Jevon Stephens, Director, Regional Health Services, Region Six; Dr Joanne Simpson, Medical Doctor, National TB Programme; Dr Danelle Depraul, District Health Officer, Region Four; Denroy Tudor, Coordinator – International Desk and Alex Foster, Focal Point Coordinator/Advisor to the Senior Minister, both of the Public Health Ministry in Guyana.