Shortage of health workers isn’t a reason to stop building hospitals – Jagdeo

Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has contended that the current shortage of medical professionals cannot be used as a reason to halt the advancement of the country’s healthcare sector.
Responding to critics during his press conference on Thursday last, the Vice President strongly defended the government’s decision to invest heavily in health infrastructure countrywide.

Twelve new hospitals are currently under construction, some of which are expected to be commissioned this year.
But naysayers have criticised the government for building these hospitals, indicating that “we must just build four hospitals of the 12 and take the rest of the money and pay wages and salaries”, according to Jagdeo.
“So, which four are you going to build? Which others that you don’t want to build?,” he questioned, noting that the PPP administration is adamant that every citizen, regardless of their location, must have access to high quality healthcare services.
Jagdeo further explained that the government has been working to address the issue of labour shortages in the sector.
“The President has said clearly to Minister (of Health Dr Frank) Anthony, “recruit from any part of the world”. We want when these hospitals come into operation that our people can walk in and get the best service…this is not PPP, or APNU or AFC,” the Vice President explained.
“So, if we don’t have enough nurses and we need them in the short-term, we’d have to bring them in, and the technicians and everybody to run all of these things,” he added, noting that the government is simultaneously training individuals to join the healthcare sector.
According to the Vice President, “I know we have shortages but what are we going to do? Throw up our hands in the air and say “oh we gonna have shortages so don’t build no new hospital”. That’s not the way you work; you have to build it and work to fix the personnel problem…”
Jagdeo noted that another issue that is currently being addressed in the healthcare sector is inadequate management.
“…you have to fix the management problem. We already know many of the hospitals are not properly managed. The management support will come from Mount Sinai, Northwell, etc.,” he said.
Modern hospitals are being constructed at Lima, De Kinderen, Enmore, Diamond, Bath and Number 75 Village.
All of these institutions will have 24-hour Accident and Emergency, 24-hour labs, a suite of imaging services including ultrasound, digital X-Ray, and CT scans, along with operation theatres and more.
Construction is also ongoing on the €149 million Paediatric and Maternal Hospital at Ogle. Works are also advancing on new hospitals at Kamarang, Moruca, Lethem and Kato.
New hospitals are also being constructed at West Demerara and in New Amsterdam, as the Lethem Regional Hospital is being upgraded.
In addition, training complexes at Suddie and New Amsterdam will be completed this year, while construction will commence on two dormitories for the health sciences training complexes for which $852 million is budgeted.
Another $2.9 billion has been earmarked for the design and construction of a Medicines Regulatory Laboratory and Office Complex, a national neurological rehabilitation centre and a centre of excellence for cancer treatment.