GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA, February 2, 2009) - The Uitvlugt estate dispensary in Region Three which is operated by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) will be taken over by the Ministry of Health.

This was disclosed by Minister within the Ministry of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsaran while conducting infrastructural inspections at health facilities today in Region Three.

Minister Ramsaran said that his Ministry has been in negotiation with GuySuCo for the Ministry to take over the dispensary located at De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara.

The facility will be upgraded and rehabilitated and more services will be added.

 “We want to take the facility over gradually. We don’t want to create a gap; we want to conduct a smooth transition,” the Minister said.

Dr. Ramsaran noted that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been drafted and sent to the corporation for continued discussions.

The Ministry of Health, he said, is also interested in the facility since it would be providing accommodation for approximately 70 final-year Guyanese medical students who would be returning from Cuba after they would have graduated. 

These students will be attached at the Leonora Diagnostic and Treatment Centre and the West Demerara   Hospital and will be housed at the facility when renovated.

A similar facility at the Leonora Hospital is also being refurbished to accommodate two Guyanese doctors who returned last year and who are at present working at the centre.

The dispensary currently manages 300 pensioners and workers and facilitates per month approximately 250 patients from the community.

Dr. Ramsaran further assured that the Ministry and GuySuCo has no intention of retrenching the pensioners or staff since they have given many years of service to the industry and community. However, his Ministry will be adding more health care workers to the facility.

The Edinburg dispensary, East Bank Berbice also managed by GuySuCo was taken over by the Ministry of Health some years ago and is providing improved health care services in Region Six.