Services still accessible during Leonora Hospital retrofitting – Health Minister

…can also be accessed temporarily at nearby centres

A series of SMART upgrades will be soon rolled out at the Leonora Cottage Hospital on the West Coast of Demerara but the public can still access services offered at the facility.
This was clarified by Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony during the latest COVID-19 update, where he noted that the works will be carried out in phases, allowing other sections of the hospital to operate uninterruptedly. In some cases, the services will be temporarily shifted to a nearby health centre until the works are completed.

“How we have sorted out the construction, it would be in a phased arrangement so when we disrupt one section, some services can still continue while construction is ongoing. Services will be interrupted but people will still be able to access services whether at the actual Leonora site or a nearby site,” Dr Anthony shared.
It is reported that the Diamond Hospital and Leonora Cottage Hospital are among five health facilities to be upgraded to SMART hospitals. The other facilities are Mabaruma and Lethem Regional Hospitals, and the Paramakatoi Health Centre.
The United Kingdom-funded project is designed to help reduce mortality, morbidity and economic losses from natural disasters, to which many Caribbean nations are vulnerable. The “SMART Hospital” concept refers to a health facility which is both safe and utilises green technology.
The Health Minister said this will make the hospital more “climate-resilient” and energy-efficient.
“In terms of what we will be doing there, we will be making the facility more climate-resilient, meaning that to prevent it from being flooded and also, to make it more energy-efficient. The way that we’re looking at energy efficiency is to utilise the solar panels to make sure we have a good battery bank and most appliances of the hospital would now be run using this solar energy.”
Hospitals and other health facilities embracing this concept must provide standard and efficient healthcare before, during, and even immediately after the event of any natural or man-made disaster.
Last Thursday, the second series of SMART upgrades was launched. President Irfaan Ali was present at the ceremony and pledged Government’s commitment to investing in hospitals. He noted that the struggles facing health workers would also be addressed.
“We are investing in all the hospitals. All the hospitals will see upgrades and improvements within the next few years. All the facilities will see a tremendous transformation. It is aimed at decentralising services with the aim that we empower local and regional authorities to do more in the management of the facilities. It is about building capacity, and reaching the unreached,” the President had said.
He had added, “Many times, people have to decide as to whether they take $1000 and pay the transportation cost to go GPHC or whether they take the $1000 and buy food for their children. When we invest in these facilities of bringing healthcare to the people, we are reaching the unreached. It helps us to reduce the cost of access to healthcare and it makes healthcare truly what PAHO and WHO wants it to be – a universal right.”