President David Granger and First Lady, Sandra Granger visited the maternity and children’s wards at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) this morning, a release from the Ministry of the Presidency said.
The President, who was also accompanied by Minister of Health, Dr. George Norton and Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ally, said that it is part of his job as President to be at the hospital on Christmas morning, not only to bring cheer but also to have a first-hand look at the challenges patients experience.
Speaking to nurses at the end of his tour of the maternity ward, the Head of State said, “I will be working with the Minister of Health to improve the circumstances under which you work and under which mothers have to give birth. This is where life starts and if you don’t ensure you have a safe environment, that the mothers are in a comfortable environment and the staff have the resources they need to do their work, we are likely to have problems.”
At the time of the President’s visit, seven mothers had already given birth on Christmas morning and there were 39 babies and 43 mothers in the post-natal section of the maternity ward.
Among the excited mothers in the ward was 19 year old Meena Bisnauth of Triumph, East Coast Demerara, who was the first mother to give birth on Christmas Day, the release said. Cradling her baby who was born about four weeks early, Meena said, “I want Lisa to take her education and be a good person.” This is Meena’s second child.
Twenty year old Venetia James, whose second child was also born on Christmas day, said that she named her new daughter Tatianna after a character in a movie who she liked. Her wish is that her daughter would grow up to be a doctor or a lawyer.
For Renita Patterson of Buxton, her Christmas baby is truly the gift that she had been praying for. With three boys at home; 10, eight and three years old, Renita is excited to finally have her girl and says this will be her last child.
