Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, officially commissioned a suite of major infrastructural upgrades at the Port Kaituma Hospital in Region One on Friday.
Through a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and plaque unveiling, the Minister inaugurated five critical facilities designed to provide specialised care in the area. The newly commissioned units represent a strategic investment in diagnostic, surgical, and maternal health and include the following:
Modern Operating Suite: Fully equipped for both emergency and elective surgeries, significantly reducing the dependency on patient transfers to Georgetown.
Digital X-Ray Unit: Integrated with telemedicine connectivity, allowing for real-time specialist reviews and high-precision diagnostics.
Maternal and Child Health Building: A dedicated space for specialised pediatric and maternal services.
Maternity Waiting Home: A vital intervention providing accommodation for expectant mothers from remote communities to ensure supervised and safe deliveries.
Vector Control Centre: A specialized hub to bolster the fight against malaria and other communicable diseases.
As part od his keynote address, the Minister emphasised that these upgrades address long standing service gaps. “The introduction of the digital x-ray and localised surgical capacity ensures that a resident’s geography no longer dictates the quality of their care,” he said.
He also noted that the Maternal and Child Health Building is a cornerstone of the national strategy to achieve zero maternal deaths, providing a safety net for women in the most remote areas of the region.
Beyond infrastructure, the Minister highlighted the government’s commitment to several areas, including:
Communicable Disease Elimination: Intensified efforts to eradicate malaria, filaria, chagas disease, leishmaniasis and leprosy.
Human Resource Development: Expanding the local workforce by training community health workers and medexes directly within regional communities.
Patient Centered Care: Calling for healthcare providers to pair these new tools with “professionalism, empathy, and kindness,” noting that respect is as fundamental to healing as equipment.
