President Irfaan Ali met with medical personnel from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), this morning and told them that with increased investments in the healthcare sector, the Government expects the delivery of a higher quality of service. 

In his address to the healthcare workers, the President said the Georgetown Hospital alone has seen major investments in new labs and other facilities.

He said the Government is serious about healthcare and told the medical professionals that across the country, additional investments are being made in the healthcare system.

“We are making serious investments in the healthcare system, and in making these investments, the population and the government expect that in a short time span we must be able to deliver efficient, reliable, quality healthcare, world class healthcare to the citizens of Guyana. In the second instance, our healthcare system must be developed to be the premier healthcare system in the region. And thirdly, we want to structurally integrate our healthcare system int the economy of the country as an important revenue earner in the future,” the President told those present. 

President Ali told the Doctors present that while he has no issue with them practicing in the private sector, they must deliver in the public sector. 

“Now, I don’t have any difficulty with your talent being utilized in private sector, in regional healthcare but I want us all to agree that once we are in the public healthcare system, there must be a minimum standard and a minimum set of deliverables, and hours that constitute our support to the healthcare system. I am not going to be the person who run down doctors; I believe we can find a healthy balance; I believe we can work towards finding a solution that maximizes your potential, well you might say maximize your earning power but I want to say maximize your potential,” he reasoned. 

He said as the Government builds out much needed infrastructure in the healthcare sector, it is also equipping hospitals and other health facilities with the requisite equipment and resources, while capitalizing on technology.

Highlighting the challenges of a shortage in staff, he said there will be increased training of various categories of healthcare workers.

“The public does not get to see the exceptional work that you are doing, the medical professionals are doing across this country. Exceptional work because I have had the opportunity to look at all the reports, under challenging circumstances, but exceptional work can be destroyed very easily with level of service. And the level of service ranges from all the stakeholders in the delivery of service, from the security that opens the gate to the clerk that collects data, the nurses, the cleanliness of the place,” he explained. 

He underscored the importance of adopting a team approach in the delivery of health services. 

The meeting with the President also provided the medical personnel with an opportunity to share their thoughts on developments and challenges at the Georgetown Hospital, and the wider healthcare sector. 

News Source understands that many of the doctors raised questions about the need for better salaries, better on-call pay and better allowances. They were told that their allowances would no longer be taxed, while many of the other issues raised were not addressed immediately.

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