COVID-19 hospital to be operational within a week

The Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara will finally be operational within a week, removing the burden from the Georgetown Public Hospital.

“By the end of the week, we should have substantially completed the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) facilities there and then we will start the process of transferring patients across to that facility,” Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony said on Tuesday during his daily COVID-19 update with the Department of Public Information (DPI).

The Minister said most of the equipment to treat critical patients are already in place; the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) will accommodate 25 to 29 patients.

Currently, critical patients are being treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital COVID-19 ICU which has a capacity for 16 patients.

Patients who present with mild symptoms of COVID-19 will also be treated at the facility which can accommodate 199 patients.

“If we have patients that require admission, then we will be able to keep them safely in that facility.”

Medical personnel will also be transferred to the facility and Dr Anthony explained that a clinical group has developed specific guidelines on how to treat patients; doctors, who will be at the facility, were trained to treat patients as they transition from one stage to another.

The facility will also house pre- and post-natal maternity cases. The Infectious Diseases Hospital was rehabilitated from the defunct Ocean View Hotel.