Preparatory works began on Monday afternoon at the site designated for the construction of Guyana’s specialty hospital.
When Stabroek News visited the Turkeyen site yesterday, what appeared to be levelling and clearing of the ground were ongoing. A worker informed that demarcation of the area dimensions was done on Monday and clearing of bush to commence fence building was currently ongoing. The duration given for the completion of the site preparation works was three months. Minister of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran informed Stabroek News that the contract was awarded to the G Bovell Construction Service to the tune of $98 million.
The money allocated would go towards landfilling and preparation, building of the fence to the property, laying of drains, installation of four bridges and gates as entrances and exits and an access road.
A team, which included personnel from the construction company, Ministry of Health engineer, Ministry of Finance and Ramsaran, was present at the commencement of work.
The minister also informed that tender documents are
currently being prepared by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health, to design build and equip the state-of-the-art medical facility for which funding will come from the Government of India.
The proposed establishment of the hospital came in for criticism from Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green, who raised a series of questions including why other local hospitals were not considered for upgrades instead and why taxpayers’ money was being used to prepare the site.
In addition, Green questioned why the hospital would have to be staffed entirely by Indian nationals and what payments Guyanese patients would have to make before being treated.
Ramsaran said he felt Green had not researched the subject matter before penning his letter and his remarks were racist to say the least. He added that all details were available online. It was former president, Bharrat Jagdeo, whose brainchild it was to have a specialty hospital serve the need of complex surgeries required of Guyanese. “All the details about the hospital can be had by anyone with just a click of the finger on the computer. The proposal is there for all; from Jagdeo’s first visit to meet with the Indian Government to source the funds, to the approval it was all over the internet. What perplexes me is that Green did not have a problem [with] hospitals at Diamond, Port Mourant Linden and others, having a full complement of Cuban doctors… working effectively. Where was his ranting and raving then? Cuba is a country that is least tied to Guyana. Some of their doctors come here and cannot speak one word of English yet no one objected. I think his comments on why Indian nationals should staff the hospital are, simply put, racist.”
The minister, defending the move to have a specialty hospital said that in addition to local patients saving on money they would have had to foot to travel overseas for treatment, the facility could be used as a medical tourist destination since India’s development in the field of health was second to none. Evidence of this, he said, was in the fact that persons from Europe and North America trek long distances to India in help of needed specialty surgeries.
“The hospital will not therefore be beneficial [only] to citizens of our regional neigbours but could serve to tap into the US and European health markets as well since it is already known that many Guyanese leave their residences overseas to return to Guyana for optical and dental works.”
Ramsaran said that for too long Guyanese had to leave these shores, sometimes alone, because of the high cost of their specified medical treatments as well as air tickets.
Ramsaran said he was not sure who gave Green the idea that no Guyanese medical personnel or other support staff will be working at the facility. He said that as per the agreement with the Indian government, Guyanese physicians will not only work but will be given on-the-job and formal training. As such it is envisioned that after the contracted time for the Indian nationals would have expired local doctors will be able to take up those roles; a day he opined all Guyanese would be proud of.
