The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) has identified $200M to start works on the construction of a two-storey maternity hospital for women and children.
The project, which is being funded by two Islamic organisations, is expected to be finished by the end of 2015. The Islamic Development Bank of Jeddah and the Ouhla Foundation of the United Kingdom are each contributing $100M towards its construction.
The NGO has selected 298 Thomas Street, South Cummingsburg as the site for the hospital, which will employ only female doctors. Shaykh Zakir Khan, the General Manager of the CIOG, said the CIOG and the Muslim community believes that it’s best that female doctors care for female patients.
“So, with this in mind, we decided to make this investment and advance our humanitarian services in Guyana,” said Khan yesterday in an interview with the Stabroek News.
He said females tend to be more comfortable with a female doctor as opposed to being examined by a male doctor. “We want to provide a different service and at the same time help the community,” he stated while noting that the hospital will serve all women, regardless of religion and ethnicity.
“We are not here to make money and this is one of the ways that we can help women in our country by providing excellent service for them in an environment where they are comfortable.”
He said the CIOG is looking to minimise the hospital fees in order to make it more affordable for women.
He added that both the government and the funders of the project had expressed approval and are eager to partner with them because they saw it as a good investment.
The NGO is expected to start construction within a month and is inviting contractors to submit tenders for its construction.
The CIOG turned the sod for the site on February 10 this year.
