GPHC completes 18 joint replacement surgeries in 2 days 

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) continues to reduce its surgical backlog over the weekend with the completion of 18 joint replacement surgeries.
A total of 14 women and four men benefitted and can now look forward to improved mobility, reduced pain, and an enhanced quality of life. All 18 patients have since been discharged and are continuing their recovery, the hospital said, noting that all of the surgeries were performed over the weekend of July 11-12, 2026. The orthopaedic team successfully completed 18 joint replacement surgeries, including 12 knee replacements and six hip replacements.
According to the hospital, with joint replacement procedures costing approximately $2.5 million in the private healthcare sector, initiatives such as these are vital in ensuring that life-changing orthopaedic care remains accessible to all Guyanese, regardless of their financial situation.

The procedures are performed in addition to the Orthopaedic Department’s regular surgical schedule and are separate from the routine cases managed during the normal workweek. The initiative is made possible through a multidisciplinary team, including orthopaedic surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, Operating Room (OR) technicians, the Central Sterile Services Unit (CSSU) team and physiotherapists, who voluntarily work overtime and give up their weekends to provide care for patients awaiting these life-changing procedures.

Central Sterile Supply Unit
Meanwhile, as the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) continues to expand and strengthen its surgical services, the hospital’s Central Sterile Supply Unit (CSSU) remains a critical component in ensuring patient safety by processing and sterilising the instruments and supplies required for medical procedures.
The hospital said that the CSSU serves as the hospital’s central hub for cleaning, preparing, packaging and sterilising medical instruments and supplies used throughout GPHC. In addition to supporting the hospital’s wards and operating theatres, the department also prepares sterile supplies for clinics within the hospital’s network.
According to Deborah Younge, a CSSU technician, patient safety is at the heart of everything the department does.
Younge explained that the work of the CSSU is important because the department sterilises medical instruments and supplies used throughout the hospital while ensuring that each item is properly cleaned, inspected, and prepared before the sterilisation process. She emphasised that these procedures are critical to protecting patients’ health and reducing the risk of infections caused by improperly sterilised equipment.
The department supports GPHC’s 10 Operating Rooms (ORs), including six Main ORs, one Ophthalmology, two OBGYN, and one Minor Operating Room, by receiving used surgical instruments, cleaning and sterilising them, and preparing them for reuse.
Staff also assemble surgical trays, dressing sets, gauze packs and other essential supplies. In addition, the unit prepares and manages sterile linen for operating theatres, clinics and hospital wards, ensuring healthcare teams have the materials they need to provide patient care.
Younge hopes the public better understands the importance of the department’s work and the role it plays in protecting patients.
She emphasised that the Central Sterile Supply Unit is an integral part of the hospital, as it prepares the sterile instruments and supplies that healthcare professionals rely on every day to deliver safe and effective patient care.