$71M in equipment donated to maternity ward at GPHC

Jun 08, 2019 News

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), as a loan to the government, on Thursday, handed over equipment totaling $71M, to the Maternity and Pediatric Ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Some of the maternity equipment donated to the ward’

This was done under the Maternal and Child Health Improvement project that was launched by Senior Minister of Public Health, Ms. Volda Lawrence. She had stressed the need for the project even as she expressed concern about Guyana’s high rates of maternal and infant mortality.
Infant weighing scales, ECG machines, crash carts, hospital and pediatric beds and incubators were just some of the maternal and pediatric equipment that were purchased with the US$8M loan.
The money is aimed at arresting the scourge of infant of maternal morbidity and mortality.
Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry, Collette Adams, explained that the purpose of the contribution is to upgrade the hospital facility and to strengthen the performance at the hospital since it is the main hospital in the country.
She said that the donation would enhance the maternal health service, since other facilities in Guyana seek external assistance from the GPHC to deliver efficient aid to patients.
The Consultant Obstetrician and Head of Gynecology, Dr. Lucio Pedro, stated that the Maternity Ward has been awaiting the arrival on the important equipment for some time, and he is grateful to the government for their contribution towards his unit.
This was the first batch of equipment distributed to the hospital. A second donation is mentioned to be donated in 2020.
This IDB- backed initiative is said to support an in-depth revision of all guidelines, protocols, and strategies related in health of women of reproductive age, pregnancy, delivery, emergency care ad postpartum challenges. The program also envisages a focus on specific needs of adolescents, men and indigenous peoples.
The project also intends to provide quality reproductive maternal neonatal care; strengthen the supply chain for contraceptive methods and drugs and blood products; and all processes relating to planning, procurement, storage distribution, monitoring and evaluation, new management practices will become time sensitive.
The bank’s financial help will also fund improved collection, systemization, reporting and use of generated data to improve the quality of health information.