Modern healthcare for Essequibo as $6.6B Lima Regional Hospital opens

Public healthcare delivery on the Essequibo Coast is expected to be transformed with the official opening of the $6.6 billion Lima Regional Hospital on Friday.

The hospital was constructed by China CAMC Engineering Co., Ltd. (CAMCE) and China National Machinery Industry Corporation (SINOMACH). It is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities that will provide residents with modern, world-class medical care and reduce the burden of travelling to Georgetown.

“This hospital will be the hospital of service to our people,” Regional Chairman Vilma De Silva said as she hailed the moment as “historic.”

The Lima Regional Hospital boasts three operating theatres, a specialised birthing suite, a fully equipped Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a high dependency unit, a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), a dialysis unit, a blood banking facility, and a modern laboratory capable of performing over 150 different tests.

Other features include a 24-hour pharmacy and emergency department, dental, ophthalmology, and audiology services, sterilisation services, and a mortuary.

The hospital is also fitted with digital X-ray capabilities, two ultrasound machines, a CT scan machine, an oxygen plant, and 75 inpatient beds.

Importantly, President Dr Irfaan Ali revealed that it has the capacity to support telemedicine, allowing patients to access faster diagnoses and specialised care.

“There was a time when living far from the capital meant living far from healthcare. That time is coming to an end,” President Ali said.

The Head of State positioned Lima Regional Hospital, along with the other new regional hospitals, as part of Guyana’s push to become a leader in digital health across CARICOM.

In emphasising the importance of matching the hospital’s infrastructure with quality and professionalism, President Ali revealed that a Quality Assurance Unit will be implemented to ensure services meet the highest standards.

He also underscored the need to reward healthcare workers for their sacrifices and hard work.

“Those in healthcare who are giving more and sacrificing, I believe strongly that the system must reward them,” President Ali said.

Looking ahead, President Ali called on medical professionals to seize training opportunities over the next three years, promising a strengthened welfare and benefits structure to encourage the return of Guyanese healthcare workers abroad.

“The best wealth we can ever create is the health of our people,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony said every head of department at the hospital will be headed by a specialised doctor.

Dr Anthony described the new hospital as “a concrete step in the journey towards a world-class health system made accessible to all Guyanese.”