Construction on the Lethem Hospital has resumed after Cabinet allocated an additional $50M to complete the building.

The Government Information Agency (GINA) quoted Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, as saying “We had originally budgeted for $100M for construction works but there were additional works that had to be done and so more money was needed.” Ramsammy visited the Region Nine site recently to assess the building’s progress.

At present, staff including doctors, nurses and other health-care workers are being trained to provide the necessary services when the hospital opens in April. It will boast a general medical out-patient department, an operating theatre, x-ray services and an Intensive Care Unit. “We are also in the process of procuring equipment which is being done at a separate cost, so that installation can begin just after construction,” Ramsammy added.

The minister said it has been challenging delivering health care services to this region because of “the distance people have to travel in the region itself in order to access the services, much less if they have to travel to the city.” He said the hospital will improve the quality of service offered in addition to offering a range of new services.

According to GINA seven other health institutions are being built countrywide.