Lindeners can expect better health delivery system – Councillor
The Health and Public Works Sectors in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice) are set to benefit from various upgrade works coming out of its .138B budgetary allocations for 2017. During a presentation on the televised programme ‘Region 10 in Review’, Regional Chairman Renis Morian and Councillor Dr Gregory Harris provided an in depth look at some of the projects which will be executed within the region.
Councillor Dr Harris, who also serves as Regional Health Committee Chairman said residents can expect several major changes within the regional health sector
Chairman Renis Morian and Councillor Dr Gregory Harris
this year. For instance, he said the Rockstone community is slated to receive an ambulance for the first time. This, he explained, will be a major boost given the level of emergencies and the difficulties associated with travel from such outlying areas which usually refer patients to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC). The development is also expected to ease the economic burden of residents, Councillor Dr Harris noted.
“All of the health centres will be receiving an upgrade, especially the Berbice River. We’ll be constructing new outdoor facilities- washroom facilities, along with that, guard huts. Some of these health centres, also will be seeing extensions- construction work would be done,” the Councillor outlined. The administration will further seek to establish a polyclinic within the Berbice River.
The Councillor and Health Committee Chairman added that health centres will also be equipped with phlebotomy chairs which will aid in the process of collecting blood specimen, while he said materials required for health workers to function will also be provided. As such, the Health Committee Chairman said the Regional Health Department will also be purchasing 10 motorcycles to facilitate public health workers in carrying out field work. With regards to drug shortage issues he explained that the new Health Minister is presently putting systems in place to prevent future shortages.
Councillor Harris said more staff would be provided at health centre in riverine areas while essential items such as dressing trolleys, dressing chairs, solar refrigerators and autoclaves will be made readily available. In riverine areas such as Calcuni and Sand Hill upgrade and maintenance works will be carried out to health posts since he said it is the aim that health centres be made more efficient and effective in these areas.
Morian indicated that there will be upgrade to the One Mile access road, Clemfield, Cemetery, Fun Park, Hughesville, Canvas City and Icewater roads, all located at Wismar; further rehabilitation to the upper section of Greenheart Street and Dageraad Avenue at Mackenzie, Linden.
Upgrades
“We also want to look at the drainage in Manni Street, drainage in Wismar Street (Mackenzie), sections of the Clemfield road, upgrading some of the sections of the Ball field road (Third Phase, Wisroc). We want to upgrade the drains there and at Henderson road (Greenheart Street, Mackenzie). Additionally, the road leading to Watooka, Richmond Hill and Teachers Hostel road at Amelia’s Ward will benefit from upgrade. Bitumenous upgrade will also be carried out to the Casaurina Drive road at Mackenzie, among others.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources will be doing roads at Kwakwani and Ituni…and we’ve also made requests for that support to be extended to Linden,” he stated. Additionally the administration is also expected to explore farming avenues such as shade house agriculture. The allocations for the Region include Health $640,264M, Public Works $368,272M, Education $1,858B and Regional Administration and Finance $270,766M.
