GPHC short of 600+ nurses, additional beds to improve services

– 146 nurses resigned; numbers expected to grow

While the Health Ministry has made significant strides towards building a world-class healthcare system, the availability of beds for patients and the shortage of nursing staff at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) remain challenges.
The GPHC provided primary healthcare services to over 22,000 patients this year, with its daily occupancy rate standing at 95 per cent. Additionally, GPHC recorded a 38 per cent increase in referrals from hospitals across the country, and as a result, wards are always filled.
However, despite the increase in patient care, the Accident and Emergency Department has a total of 18 beds, while the other units have less.
This was disclosed during a press conference in which 13 heads of departments affirmed that the availability of beds for patients is affecting the functioning of their respective departments.
During his remarks, GPHC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Robbie Rambarran explained that the Health Ministry is aware of the challenges, and added that several expansion works are being undertaken to address the shortage. Those works include expansion of the medical block, which is approximately 85 percent completed. When commissioned, this block would provide the hospital with an additional 30 beds.
“So, yeah, we’re expanding. There’s going to be an additional 30 beds; we think that’s going to solve the problem that we’re having…
You asked a question about an increase in beds, there are a lot of discussions ongoing. There are new hospitals that are being built, those hospitals will have 150 beds,” he explained.
“With the training that we are doing here and the specialists that we are bringing in the country to work, the services at the Georgetown Hospital will be decentralised. So, perhaps when those hospitals start working and operating to their optimum, they might reduce the need for additional beds at Georgetown Hospital,” Dr. Rambarran stated.
However, on the issue of human resources, the GPHC is some 600 nurses short of full complement, which represents a deficit of 55 per cent. Currently, 896 nurses are employed at the hospitals, and of that number, 86 were hired this year, inclusive of 33 nurses from Cuba.
In addition, 146 nurses have resigned this year, and according to the Director of Nursing Services, Dr. Leslyn Holder, this number continues to increase. While reasons for the nurses’ resignation have not been provided, Holder disclosed that robust training is ongoing to address the issue.
“We have improved the content, the numbers, and the number of intakes for candidates coming to us to be trained as patient care assistants. This year, we graduated 47 patient care assistants, and that was in September. When we started in November,(we started with) 50 students, and another 50 will commence in February, the target is 100. Additionally, we are now mandated to commence local training for nursing assistants in March of 2024. This will boost our nursing complement significantly,” Dr. Holder explained.
Further, Dr Holder disclosed that the Health Ministry has issued a request for more Cuban nurses. This is part of efforts to bridge the language gap at GPHC and ensure that all patients receive proper primary healthcare, despite patient nationality.

Expansion of health services
The Government has made significant strides to introduce, implement, and expand clinical services and best practices in hospitals here. During a press conference on July 13, President Dr Irfaan Ali disclosed that Guyana’s life expectancy is 70 years, compared to 68 in 2020; and the goal is to increase this number to 72 years by 2026 and to 75 by 2030.
The Head of State noted that achieving this objective would require Guyana to expand and make available moderate and complex clinical services, in which Government has heavily invested.
Reflecting on some of the projects, the President shared that Guyana now has 19 health posts providing telemedicine services to citizens, while radiology and imaging technology are available at hospitals in all ten administrative regions.
He added that oxygen plants are being set up in all hinterland hospitals to provide oxygen therapy and remove dependency on oxygen cylinders.
President Ali added that medicine supply without disruption is another key area of accomplishment, given that medicine availability in Guyana was at 35 per cent in 2020. However, this number has increased to 85 per cent, and is expected to reach between 95 and 100% by the end of 2023.

President on health
infrastructure
Meanwhile, President Ali has said transformation of the physical infrastructure of Guyana’s healthcare system is paramount, and it is in recognizing its importance that the regional health budgets have more than doubled in less than three years.
The build-out of health infrastructure countrywide is well underway, including the construction of new hospitals and the rehabilitation of all existing facilities.
During the July 13 press conference, the Head of State had highlighted some of the projects to come on stream, including reconstruction of the Bartica hospital, which will begin at the end of 2023 and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025.
Additionally, plans are underway to develop the National Psychiatric Hospital, reconstruct the West Demerara Regional Hospital, and upgrade the Suddie, Port Mourant, Mahaicony and other hospitals.
Further, all existing hinterland hospitals outside of Mabaruma, Port Kaituma, Mahdia, Paramakatoi, Annai and Kwakwani are scheduled for major upgrade between 2024 and 2026.
President Ali said Government is working to expand Guyana’s human resource and infrastructure simultaneously. In this regard, he noted that robust training is being provided to doctors and nurses, while current professional training programmes are being expanded to accommodate more individuals.
Under guidance of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration, Guyana has fostered many international partnerships and facilitated advanced training for health practitioners.