Chinese governor hands over high-tech surgery machine
Stabroek News
May 19, 2007
The US$85,000 laparoscopic equipment, which would now see the Georgetown Public Hospital performing retinal and other surgeries for the first time, was yesterday officially handed over to the institution by Vice Governor of the Jiangsu Province, China, He Quan.
In addition, the sod was turned at a site on East Street, which will see an apartment complex built by the Chinese government to house Chinese doctors who come to Guyana to assist in the delivery of health care in the country. To date some 100 doctors have visited Guyana over a 14-year period and the seventh batch is now in the country. It is hoped that by the time the eighth batch arrives the apartment complex, which would be owned by the Ministry of Health, would be completed.
Director of Medical Ser-vices, Dr Madan Rambarran, said the hospital has come a long way and in recent years, the momentum to deliver better health service has increased. He mentioned the hospital's capacity to now deliver radiotherapy, chemo-therapy and CD4 testing among other services. Training of the hospital's staff has also continued while the research capacity of the hospital has increased.
Dr Rambarran noted that during the years of upward mobility the institution has forged linkages with many countries, one of which is China. For 14 years, the hospital has been working with China through the Health Ministry and the doctors sent to the institution have helped to introduced new technologies, like the new equipment handed over yesterday.
Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Zhang Jungao said the donation of the equipment is as a result of the two countries' long-standing relationship pointing out that Guyana is the only South American country that hosts Chinese doctors. The doctors, he said, are China's ambassadors of the friendship between the two countries.
Towards better health care: Vice Governor of the Jiangsu Province, China, He Quan (left) and Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy unveil a plaque at the site for the Chinese doctors' quarters yesterday. (Jules Gibson photo)
Dr Ramsammy in his remarks said that the doctors provided by China are at the consultant level and they assist in adding new services in the country through the training of the local doctors. Through the help of the doctors and their country, the minister said, Guyana has been able to reduce the number of surgeries that can only be done in other countries as with the new equipment many surgeries can now be done locally. According to the minister, the assistance provided by China to Guyana is a reflection of the growing collaboration between developed and developing countries.
Also present at the handing over of the equipment were Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Indian High Commissioner to Guyana Avinash Gupta.