…private facilities granted permission to conduct tests
More persons have tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), increasing the total number of confirmed cases in Guyana to 45. To date this is the largest increase in cases.
This data was announced by the Public Health Ministry on Saturday, while adding that the total number of deaths remained at six.
Some 193 persons were tested for the disease, with 31 persons in institutional isolation and 13 in institutional quarantine. From the confirmed cases, eight persons recovered.
The number of persons in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stood at 3.
In order to boost the fight against COVID-19, caretaker Prime Minister, Moses Nagamottoo announced on Saturday via a virtual press conference that private hospitals were given the green light to import kits and conduct testing. Since the epidemic, only the National Public Health Reference Laboratory was permitted to process testing kits.
Government had initially said that only the National Public Health Reference Laboratory was permitted to test for COVID-19 but has since buckled as numbers continue to climb in Guyana.
Nagamootoo claimed, “I know we are working in cooperation with the public sector and we’ve now given the green light for public hospitals to import their own testing kits so that you can supplement and do rapid testing on both state and non-state institutions.”
They are also approaching private hospitals to designate space for treatment as the pandemic deepens.
Just a few days ago, former shadow Public Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony had called on the caretaker coalition to tap into the resources of the private health sector to boost its testing capacity for COVID-19.
“We need the Private Sector to come on board and they need the Ministry to allow them – giving them the permission to go ahead so that they can add to the testing capacity of the country,” he was quoted as saying.
Dr Anthony, one of the key stakeholders in the National COVID-19 Response Forum that was established by the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), explained that many of the private hospitals and laboratories here in Guyana have the human capacity as well as the equipment readily available. As such, they just need to get the supplies in order to conduct tests for COVID-19 themselves.
According to Dr Anthony, if any of these private health institutions need a test conducted then they first have to seek permission from the Public Health Ministry, and some of these requests have been denied.
Unprecedented expenditure
Meanwhile, caretaker President David Granger in a statement on Saturday indicated that “unprecedented expenditure” is needed to combat this virus. However, he contended that his caretaker Government is mobilising resources to better prepare the health sector and other secondary support systems.
“We are becoming better prepared to provide proper personal protective equipment for the medical staff doing the testing and treatment tests and the materials and equipment such as beds, respirators and ventilators for those who become critically afflicted. The capacity for infrastructural and institutional accommodation is being expanded,” Granger directed.
He added that Guyanese must take the social distancing and quarantine measures seriously to flatten the COVID-19 curve. Nevertheless, healthcare workers are still battling the virus on the frontline.
“The public has been instructed to ‘stay at home’, in physical isolation, but our health professionals are required to leave their homes and families, daily, to work in the health centres, hospitals, quarantine stations and other institutions [to] do their part to combat the disease.”
If anyone is experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus, they are asked to call the hotline on 227-4986 ext 215 or 624-3067 and a team would be sent to their location.
