Plans for a brand new maternity unit for the New Amsterdam Hospital are included in the health budget estimate of $2.1 billion for 2017 which has already been prepared and submitted, according to Director of Public Health Services Region Six, Jevaughn Stephen.
In an interview with Stabroek News, Stephen revealed that the proposed budget has an increase of $205 million over 2016’s figure.
“For 2017, our current [estimate] is $1.8 billion and our capital is $300 million; that is how we ended up with $2.1 billion. I must say that based on our presentation of our submission to the Ministry of Finance last Wednesday, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Communities were very happy… and are very determined to ensure that all our proposed works for 2017 will be approved,” the director divulged.
Speaking of the capital projects, he said, “This [maternity] unit will have a labour room, maternity ward and its own theatre.” The construction of a health center at the Number 77 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, is another such proposal. Stephens said the region is expecting more trained medical doctors from Cuba to boost its health care delivery.
“… We are in discussion with the Cuban medical brigade to ensure that more doctors are coming to Region Six…. So we are prepared to construct an 18-bed doctors’ quarters early [in] 2017 to ensure that the doctors are properly accommodated.”
Stephen highlighted that there is a plan with the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Social Protection to relocate the National Psychiatric Hospital to lower East Bank Berbice.
“A site has been identified and they are working on the final stages with the Canadian Government and the Islamic Bank to realize the funding for that. Until that is being realized we are still paying attention to the present facility to ensure that the day-to-day operation there is improved,” he said.
Meanwhile, the director disclosed that 88% of the work from the 2016 health budget has been successfully completed in the Region. “We are trying to fulfil the mandate for 2016 before mid-November,” Stephen concluded.
