Georgetown Hospital opens Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

With the aim to ensure that no citizen is denied cardiac care because of their economic limitations, Guyana’s public health sector on Friday took a significant leap with the commissioning of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU).

This unit was made possible with the support of the University of Calgary through the Guyana Program to Advance Cardiac Care-GPACC. During the ceremony hosted at the hospital, it was disclosed that cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in Guyana.

And despite the 2016 opening, work and planning for the CICU began some time ago with the training of persons, according to Director of the Institute of Health Sciences Education.

Much of this education in cardiovascular medicine comes from Dr. Wayne Warnica, who is the Co-Director of the GPACC and his team who have vowed to remain in Guyana until they are told by the local team that they are no longer needed.

Apart from their support and their expertise, Dr. Warnica and team is responsible for raising more than US$300, 000 in donations for the Unit for which Public Health Minister, Dr. George Norton says he is grateful.

The Calgary team is also responsible for the supply of many pieces of equipment currently utilised.

“This unit which is well equipped with eight patient beds, five step down beds…,eight bedside monitors for rhythm, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and with the capacity for invasive arterial and pulmonary artery monitoring” the Minister said.

But despite this development, Dr Norton is urging Guyanese to do their best to remain healthy through exercise and diet.