The government on Friday commissioned the newly constructed Charlestown Health Centre (No. 1 Dispensary) valued at approximately $201.8 million.
This health centre is expected to serve approximately 2000 residents and provide comprehensive primary healthcare services.
In his feature address, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony said that the Ministry currently manages 405 health facilities across Guyana, including 10 in Georgetown, many of which required significant rehabilitation and modernisation.
“We recognised that many of these facilities had infrastructural challenges and were not adequately equipped to provide the quality of care that patients deserve”, he said, according to a release from the Ministry of Health.
He added that the Charlestown Health Centre was completely rebuilt to provide a wider range of healthcare services in a modern setting. The facility has dedicated spaces for maternal and child health, antenatal and postnatal care, childhood immunisation, chronic disease management, men’s and women’s health services, cervical cancer screening, HPV testing and other essential primary healthcare services.
Anthony emphasised the importance of maintaining Guyana’s strong immunisation programme, noting that high vaccination coverage continues to protect children from preventable diseases. He urged parents to continue ensuring that their children receive all recommended vaccines.
He also underlined the Ministry’s Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme, describing it as a critical component of Guyana’s strategy to eliminate cervical cancer.
“Cervical cancer is currently the second most common cancer affecting women in Guyana, but it is preventable. By increasing HPV vaccination coverage among boys and girls between the ages of nine and fifteen, we can eliminate cervical cancer from our country,” Anthony stated.
He encouraged women to utilise the facility’s dedicated screening services, including HPV testing and Pap smears, stressing that early detection remains one of the most effective ways to prevent cervical cancer.
Addressing the country’s growing burden of non-communicable diseases, the release said that Anthony urged residents, particularly men, to seek routine medical check-ups instead of waiting until illnesses become severe.
He said that conditions such as diabetes and hypertension can be effectively managed when detected early, preventing serious complications including kidney failure, amputations, blindness and stroke.
Anthony said that the upgraded facility is designed to function as more than a traditional primary healthcare clinic. Patients requiring specialized care will be referred to hospitals through an integrated referral system.
He also announced that the Ministry has begun piloting a digital appointment system at the Festival City Health Centre.
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