New Psychiatric Hospital to be funded by Islamic Bank

By Malisa Playter Harry

There have been several calls for the rehabilitation of the National Psychiatric Hospital in New Amsterdam, Region 6 which is plagued with several issues ranging from electricity problems, plumbing issues to an overall dilapidated building. These issues affect both staff and patients at the institution.

During a visit to the region on Thursday, Minister of Public Health, Dr George Norton said “we recently became a member of the Islamic Development Bank that offers loans and grants on very favorable conditions and that catered for a specific health funding and that is what I would like to utilize in the construction of this Psychiatric Hospital”.

He agreed that the state of the hospital is not satisfactory and up to standard as it should be noting that “I would love to leave a legacy of correcting what we have there for that institution.”

According to Minister Norton, “it is the policy of the government to decentralise health care as much as possible”.

The Minister also disclosed that it is the hope of the Ministry and Government that funding will be provided by the bank not only in the construction of the Psychiatric Hospital but for other projects to be laid out for the health sector in Berbice and across the country.