His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali said his Government is advancing a new phase of healthcare transformation in Region Two, which is focused on improved accessibility, accountability, digitisation, and preventive care.
Speaking at the commissioning of a new drug bond in Essequibo, the Head of State pointed out that the facility forms part of the Government’s wider plan to decentralise healthcare and ensure that medicines and medical supplies are available closer to the people who need them.
President Ali said that the new facility will significantly reduce the time taken to deliver medical supplies to health centres, clinics and outposts across Region Two, including the Pomeroon River and sections of Region One.
He explained that the drug bond is part of a modern health supply chain that will be supported by a digitised inventory system, real-time data, and artificial intelligence to track medicines, prevent shortages, reduce wastage and improve planning.
To ensure the timely delivery of medicine, President Ali disclosed that drone technology will be integrated into the healthcare delivery system to transport emergency medical supplies, vaccines and other critical items to remote communities in the region.
Healthcare, he explained, will continue to be strengthened to address both communicable and non-communicable diseases. Already 435 mammograms have been performed in the region, and the President has instructed that at least 3,000 women and men should be screened for varying forms of cancer by the end of the year.
Alongside preventive care, the sector is enhancing treatment services. President Ali disclosed that the Government has provided two additional dialysis chairs at Lima Hospital, which must be made operational within a week to bring critical treatment closer to patients in Region Two, who previously had to travel to other regions for dialysis care.
The Ministry of Health has also been instructed to prepare cases for children, including infants, who require cardiac surgery, as Government moves to clear the backlog through the use of advanced technology and specialist expertise.
The President said the Government is investing heavily to build a world-class healthcare system, but stressed that infrastructure and technology must be matched by accountability, service and public responsibility.
“I want to be held accountable. And if I want to be held accountable, then everybody in line must be accountable…So if we invest in the equipment, it is not only for the equipment to be there, but also for this region’s health leadership to be innovative enough to come up with a public programme that will enable the population to benefit optimally…”
Overall, President Ali is calling on all citizens to make full use of available services, including mammograms, prostate screening, eye care vouchers, lab test vouchers and other public health interventions.
He stated that his Government remains committed to ensuring no citizen waits unnecessarily, every prescription is filled, and all promises are kept.