A team from the Charity Hospital started outreach exercises about several weeks ago to communities along the Pomeroon River while work on the Diagnostic and Treatment Centre at the Suddie Hospital is near completion.

The team comprised a Nigerian doctor, who is stationed at the hospital under a government/Nigerian Technical Co-operation initiative, along with three medexes a dentex, malaria experts and officers from the HIV/ AIDS Voluntary Counselling and Testing unit, went into the fields a press release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said. The medexes completed their training last year. The outreach will be expanded to include Mashabo, Capoey Lake, Lima Sands, Wakapau and Kabakuburi.

GINA said with a growing population in Charity the hospital is working to develop the capacity to meet the demand for better health care. Medical Superintendent at the hospital Dr Narine Singh said medexes are now working at centres and this has caused a reduction in the backlog at the Charity and Suddie hospitals. Suddie has benefited from the service provided by Cuban surgeons and gynaecologists but a full staff of Cuban doctors, from the visiting 27-member team, will man the centre located at the hospital.

GINA said the centre, which is about 85% structurally complete, is set for a March completion date. The centre is expected to be fully equipped and include new laboratory and operating facilities as well as a maternity ward. Singh said the construction of the centre has resulted in the temporary suspension and relocation of some services including the operating theatre and x-ray, which were transferred to the Charity hospital. Singh said the theatre at the hospital had been under-utilised since it was built in the 1980s but with the Suddie services relocated here it his now fully operational. A section of the Suddie hospital has been fashioned to offer maternity and outpatient services.