Fourteen more doctors from China for two-year stint here
Plastic surgeon for burns unit
Stabroek News
June 11, 2002
The fifth batch of Chinese medical workers to be sent here under the Protocol on Medical Cooperation between the two states was officially welcomed to Guyana by Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy yesterday at a press conference held in the Ministry of Health’s conference room.
The batch comprises 14 doctors - four for the Linden Hospital Complex and ten for the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
The team, which will work in Guyana for two years according to Ramsammy, includes a histopathologist, a plastic surgeon, an orthopaedic surgeon, three anaesthetists, an ophthalmologist, an ENT surgeon, a microbiologist, a histopathology technician, an acupuncturist, a general surgeon, a paediatrician, and an obstetrician/gynaecologist.
The two-year stint of the previous batch has ended and they were bid farewell at a ceremony held last week when this new batch was introduced to the management of the GPHC.
In extending welcome to the physicians Ramsammy said that it was another significant occasion for his ministry and for Guyana. He expressed gratitude to the Chinese government noting that since the joint cooperation was established in March 26, 1993 the ministry has continually had the assistance. Ramsammy said that he would not only like to see the Chinese coming here to work, but also to impart their knowledge and skills by training the locals. He argued that despite the many strides the health sector has made over the years under the joint cooperation it was not the time for them to glory in their achievements but rather seek to overcome the many health problems that still exist and work assiduously to further upgrade the services of the health sector.
According to him, the wide specialty of the doctors would help boost the services provided by the Georgetown Hospital. He also informed that the burns clinic at the hospital will be opened in August this year and the presence of the Chinese plastic surgeon would tremendously help in that area. Ramsammy told the media that the ministry had acquired the necessary modern technology to operate the clinic and promised that as soon as it becomes operational all Guyanese can look forward to proper health care in that area.
Also speaking at the press conference, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Song Tao, noted that the new batch had arrived just before the thirtieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Guyana.
He informed that to date 39 Chinese doctors in four teams have served in Guyana including six surgeons, eight anaesthetists, four physicians, three acupuncturists, five gynaecologists, four ophthalmologists, four radiologists, two haematologists, two pathologists and one paediatrician. "I am very proud of their positive contributions to the health care service in Guyana."
He added that besides health, China and Guyana had a long history of cooperation in economic and technical fields. He mentioned that a number of projects had been established in Guyana through joint efforts, among them being the Moco Moco hydropower station, the claybrick factory, Sanata Textile Mill and the Guyana Green farm.
On the other hand, the Chinese envoy said, about 30 Guyanese technicians have been invited to China to participate in various technical training courses under the programme of Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (TCDC).