Eight hospitals across Guyana have been awarded “Baby-Friendly” certification, marking a significant step in the government’s broader effort to improve the quality of public healthcare.
The facilities were presented with certificates and plaques during an award ceremony at PAHO Guyana’s headquarters earlier today.
Guyana is making great strides in improving healthcare, so much that eight local hospitals… most of them public, have been certified by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) as Baby Friendly.
The hospitals were found to have met international standards set by PAHO, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF under the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.
PAHO Assistant Director, Dr. Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, lauded the Ministry of Health and the hospitals for their achievement, reaffirming PAHO’s continued support.
“The certification of these hospitals is also a reflection of the ministry’s commitment to their system strengthening….So I want to let you know that the Pan American Health Organisation remains fully committed to working with the Ministry of Health diligently to support the certification of the remaining seventy hospital,”she said.
Dr. Ertinisa Hamilton, the Director of Family and Primary Health Care Services, meanwhile spoke on behalf of Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony.
She highlighted the importance of the initiative in strengthening maternal and child healthcare services.
“We are moving primary forward and this is one of the areas going along to give testament to the fact that we are giving services to health across the life course, from birth to death,” Dr Hamilton said.
Under Phase One of the initiative, the hospitals recognized are Oscar Joseph District Hospital and Suddie Public Hospital in Region Two; St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Region Four.
Also certified were Bartica Regional Hospital in Region Seven; Mahdia District Hospital in Region Eight; Lethem Regional Hospital in Region Nine.
Meanwhile, the Kwakwani District Hospital and the Linden Hospital Complex were certified in Region Ten.
Phase Two is expected to see more hospitals receiving the Baby-Friendly designation later this year.