In the wake of a fire last week which levelled its pharmacy, the Lethem Hospital has received relief medical supplies which should last until year end.
Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region 9, Ronald Harsawack, told Stabroek News yesterday that the region had enough supplies to last until the end of December and plans are in train to ferry additional supplies to the region before year end. He said the pharmacy area was being cleaned yesterday and a bill of quantities was being prepared as part of the process to start the rebuilding of the pharmacy.
Harsawack was not in a position to say what was the cost attached to the losses the hospital suffered, but said the figure lay in the millions. He said too that the losses were still being recorded yesterday and a total should have been determined by last evening.
As regards the cause of the fire, Harsawack said, the Guyana Fire Service is expected to provide a preliminary report on the issue soon.
Residents of the Region 9 community managed to restrict the early morning fire, which reportedly started close to an air conditioning unit last Tuesday, to the hospital’s pharmacy. Reports are that some time after 4.30 am a resident observed smoke emanating from the air-conditioning unit; the unit was soon engulfed in flames. Residents used a sledgehammer to dislodge it. However the fire had already spread to the ceiling and the flooring in the building.
Residents then broke the walls under the air-conditioning unit in order to gain access to the building and subsequently managed to contain the fire.
