The first privately-owned hospital to be built in Berbice, the Anamayah Memorial Hospital at Belvedere, Albion, Corentyne, was commissioned on Saturday, July 30.
Funded through a family effort and a loan from Republic Bank, this facility is dedicated to the memory of the late attorney-at-law Joseph Anamayah, and his father Anamaiah Madray, by their siblings and extended family members.
The facility was constructed at an approximate cost of Gy$400 million.
Speaking at the commissioning of the facility, Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy noted that the hospital is the seventh such private facility in the country. He recalled that, in the past, other medical professionals attempted the feat in New Amsterdam but were unsuccessful. The institution, the first to be licensed in Region Six, is capable of providing full scale medical services.
Dr Ramsammy urged Dr Ryan Anamayah, who has been entrusted by his family with the responsibility to manage the facility, to fulfill this mandate and those requirements necessary to effectively run a hospital.
He also applauded the investment, and noted that the growing public/private partnership will significantly improve the standard of healthcare in Guyana.
Dr Ramsammy also spoke about the plane crash at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, saying that the response from authorities showed great strides in disaster preparedness from the health, fire, security and other sectors; and he was optimistic that the new hospital would enhance the country’s ability to respond effectively to major crises.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds commended the Anamayahs for making the investment, and challenged others to adopt a similar approach to aid in the development of the country. Hinds noted that the project is significant, as it brings a good service to folks who reside away from central locations.
He recalled that, in the past, vital services were limited and centrally located, and he cited the extension of secondary education facilities as an example of how things have changed.
“This hospital brings to the Corentyne Coast a high quality institution… I had a short tour around, and I’m impressed in terms of the physical building and the equipment I saw there … We have here the potential for a high-quality medical institution… the only thing that matters next is the people,” the prime minster stated, hinting at the need for qualified personnel to deliver the service. Hinds said the country has moved from the dire need for infrastructural development to an era in which where the focus has turned.
Republic Bank was commended for its support to the Anamayah project. According to Prime Minister Hinds, the investment has exposed both parties to great risk, but each has shown confidence in the stable economy and investment climate created by this administration.
“Let me, on behalf of the government, president and people of Guyana, extend our thanks to the Anamayah family… they have ventured out … gone to the bank, took a loan… put their money here in Guyana… put their lives here in Guyana. We want to thank them for the faith they have in our country and people; and I want to, with your permission and commitment, say to them that their faith is well founded.” The civil engineer who spearheaded the project, Shazam Hussain, said some of the facilities on the ground floor include an operating theatre, x- ray room, pharmacy, laboratory, and wards to accommodate patients.
On the upper floor, there are wards for males, females and children. There are also other rooms, along with administrative offices.
The building covers 25,000 square feet of space. The hospital has been operating at a limited capacity for several months after completion; and now, with just over a dozen staff members, its doors are open seven days a week. The hospital is expected to operate on a 24-hour basis in the near future.
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