The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) is commemorating the third anniversary of the Ocean View Infectious Diseases Hospital, located in Liliendaal which according to a release yesterday, “has played a pivotal role in Guyana’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the care of infectious disease patients.”
The release noted that in March 2020, Guyana experienced its first case of COVID-19, a moment that brought both uncertainty and resolve. It also marked the country’s first recorded COVID-19 fatality, prompting the GPHC to embark on an “unprecedented journey” to prepare for the challenges that lay ahead.
The hospital’s preparations in January 2020 were a “mere glimpse” of the reality that awaited. Due to the infectious nature of COVID-19, a provisional 14-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) was established to cater to critically ill patients. To accommodate this, several hospital departments had to be temporarily closed, highlighting the hospital’s commitment to addressing the pandemic’s demands.