Minister of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran has rejected suggestions that hospitals in Matarkai sub region in Region One are without vehicles, insisting that a vehicle was sent to the Pakera Hospital at the behest of then president Bharrat Jagdeo in 2011.
He was on Monday responding to a question by A Partnership for National Unity Member of Parliament Richard Allen who posed a question for written reply to the minister. He asked the minister whether he could say why the Port Kaituma and Matthew’s Ridge hospitals have been without vehicles for five years and when the situation would be corrected.
“His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo visited Matthew’s Ridge in March 2011. In response to concerns raised by residents at a large meeting he made a commitment to provide the Pakera Hospital with a 4 x 4 pickup. There is also a full-time driver for this vehicle,” the minister said.
According to the minister, this vehicle was in addition to an ATV which is available for outreach to areas inaccessible to other types of vehicles.
Further, the minister said, the Port Kaituma Cottage Hospital also has a 4 x 4 pickup vehicle. “Since August of this year it has experienced intermittent mechanical problems. A decision has been made send it to to Georgetown for general servicing shortly. In the meantime the health programme hires appropriate vehicles as needed,” he said.
The minister said too that in the prospective 2013 budget the Region One Regional Democratic Council has requested a new ATV, a new 4 x 4 vehicle and a fibreglass boat.
