Residents of Port Kaituma and surrounding communities in the Matakai Subdistrict, Region One, are set to benefit from significantly improved healthcare delivery with the commissioning of a new Maternal and Child Health Department and a series of upgrades at Port Kaituma Hospital.
The commissioning forms part of a wider push by the Ministry of Health to expand access to quality healthcare in hinterland regions and bring services closer to coastal standards.
Medical Extension Officer in the Maternal and Child Health Department, Chavez George, described the development as both professional and personal.
“Today, I stand here with a deep sense of pride. I am not just a health worker, I am a product of the very system that we seek to strengthen,” George said.
George, who is originally from the subdistrict, pointed to the impact of early maternal and child health interventions in his own life.
“My early years were molded by the maternal and child health services, by being routinely monitored, whether by using the growth chart, and by the knowledge given to my family by the MCH department. Both interventions, even though simple, are very powerful,” he stated.
He emphasised that the new facility represents more than infrastructure.
“This new facility is not just a structure, it is a symbol of equity. It represents a commitment that no mother should have to travel miles in uncertainty, and no child should be denied a healthy start because of where they are born,” George added.
Regional Health Officer Dr. Steven Cheefon said the upgrades are part of a broader transformation agenda introduced in 2020 to modernise healthcare delivery in Region One.
“A vision to transform and revolutionise healthcare in the hinterland, and make that equal to what is being offered on the coastline,” he said.
Dr. Cheefon disclosed that five projects are being commissioned within the Matakai Subdistrict, all aimed at strengthening healthcare outcomes.
He highlighted major gains in human resource development within the region.
“In early 2020, we were sending to Georgetown five nurses per year, not more than 20 persons in all the programmes.
Today, we have more than 200 persons in training right now, and we’ve already trained 318 persons, nurses, community health workers, all from Region One,” he said.
Access to emergency care has also improved, with the number of ambulances increasing.
“In those days, we had one ambulance. Today the region has six ambulances with two more to come this year,” Dr. Cheefon stated.
He also pointed to expanded use of telemedicine and improved diagnostics in remote communities.
“You can be in a village and communicate with a doctor from Port Kaituma, Mabaruma, or Georgetown. You don’t need to always come out to a hospital, but the service is right in your community,” he said.
According to Director of Regional Health Services, Cerdel McWatt, Region One is now among the leading regions in terms of healthcare development and innovation.
“For the first time, all across the region at your major facilities, you will have digital X-ray,” McWatt said, adding that an AI-supported imaging system will soon be implemented to improve diagnosis time and accuracy.
“This AI system will help us to read those images. You will have a faster turnaround time, and it also helps with the accuracy,” he explained.
McWatt noted that the region is also piloting the maternal waiting home initiative to reduce complications associated with long-distance travel for pregnant women.
Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony said the investment addresses long-standing gaps identified during previous visits to the facility.
“We found that there were a number of things that were still missing. The accident and emergency, the operating theatre was not working, and the maternal section also had some difficulty,” he said.
He stressed the importance of establishing a dedicated maternal waiting home to prevent risky deliveries during travel.
“Very often, they deliver on their way coming to the hospital, and sometimes that can lead to complications. We want to avoid that,” Dr. Anthony stated.
The minister added that the government is working to maintain zero maternal deaths in the region while expanding access to surgical and diagnostic services.
“Everything that we are putting in place, we want to make sure that it’s functioning and that people can benefit,” he said.
Dr. Anthony also outlined broader national health goals, including the elimination of diseases such as malaria, filaria and leprosy, alongside expanded training programmes for healthcare workers drawn from hinterland communities.
The upgrades at Port Kaituma Hospital form part of a wider strategy to decentralise healthcare, improve infrastructure and ensure equitable access across Guyana’s hinterland regions.
