Guyana’s six regional hospitals have demonstrated the impact of major investments in the country’s healthcare system, with thousands of surgeries, more than one million laboratory tests, and hundreds of thousands of other diagnostic and specialist services delivered.
Speaking at a press conference at the Office of the President, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali highlighted the scale of services provided at the facilities, including approximately 3,700 surgeries, more than one million laboratory tests, 82,200 X-rays, 37,700 ultrasounds and 13,680 CT scans.
More than 101,000 specialist clinic attendances were also recorded, covering services including surgery, gynaecology, dentistry, ophthalmology and ENT, while approximately 2,400 babies were delivered and nearly 280,000 prescriptions were filled.
The president said the figures demonstrate that the investments in regional healthcare are producing tangible results for citizens.
“These investments have revolutionised health care in our country. If you speak to people who utilise these services, predominantly, overwhelmingly, they will tell you all of the positive stories,” the president stated.
He also pointed to waiting times as a key indicator of improved service delivery, noting that the average waiting time across the six hospitals is approximately 10 minutes for emergency care and 30 minutes for outpatient services.
Among the individual facilities, Diamond Regional Hospital recorded the highest inpatient and surgical workloads, with 4,705 admissions and 967 surgeries, and conducted 4,797 CT scans.
Enmore Regional Hospital recorded the highest outpatient activity, with 36,670 visits, and the highest X-ray workload, at 21,131.
The president said the hospitals’ laboratory services have also been significant, with one regional hospital recording more than 351,000 laboratory tests and another conducting more than 289,000.
He acknowledged that challenges remain within the healthcare system. He said these should be viewed in context, stressing that the overall performance of the facilities and their medical teams has been exceptional.
“Overwhelmingly, the performance of these hospitals, the medical teams, the lab teams, the nurses, has been exceptional,” President Ali noted, commending healthcare workers for working around the clock to improve patient care.
The head of state further disclosed that several major hospital projects are progressing, including the Morocco Hospital, which is 46.5 per cent complete, and the Cato Hospital, which is 51.9 per cent complete, both described as being almost on target.
The investments, he said, are continuing to strengthen healthcare delivery and expand access to quality services across the regions.