Staff for new Ogle hospital already in training – Health Minister

In ensuring that the new Ogle hospital is equipped with staff that are skilled, persons who are now being train though the Gift of Life initiative are set to be transferred to the brand-new health facility.
This was disclosed by Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony during the Annual Cardiology Symposium on Saturday morning.
According to the Minister, this initiative of transferring the trainees to the new Ogle hospital is of great importance, as it shows the Government’s strategies in ensuring that the new hospital is staffed with individuals possessing the necessary skills to effectively operate and manage it.
The Minister also stated that the Ministry has recognised that if these various health institutions are going to be created, the Government must provide training for persons to carry out the work which the hospital will need.
“We have recognised that if we are going to be building all this capacity, it would be necessary to train people, and we have been opening up new collaborations with various partners for these trainings,” he expressed.
He then revealed that over the span of four years, major work will be done to ensure training for persons to work in the new hospital. “We have signed an MoU [Memorandum of Understanding] with McMasters, and over the next three to four years, we will be able to send a number of persons to do fellowships at McMasters,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Minister expressed that the ground has been broken for the building of a new state-of-the-art Level-Five hospital in New Amsterdam.
“We have already awarded a contract, and they have already started the preliminary works of the foundation, so 36 months from now, we should have a brand-new New Amsterdam hospital,” he said, adding that the hospital will focus much on cardiovascular work and lots of surgeries for children will take place. “Among the services that will be offered at the new hospital would be new cardiac services, because we are putting in a new cardiac suite in that hospital,” the Minister stated.
According to the Minister, the Ogle hospital is set to have 252 beds, with a majority dedicated to paediatric patients and it will include a specialised paediatric cardiac suite for surgeries. These initiatives demonstrate the Government’s commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure, services, and workforce development in Guyana. (G2)