With the establishment of four diagnostic centres and the National Ophthalmology Hospital in Port Mourant, Berbice, it has become necessary that Guyanese doctors have the required skills to provide specialised eye care services alongside the Cuban doctors.
As such, the Health Ministry was able to secure several scholarships, with assistance from Eye Care Guyana, a non-governmental organisation, to allow Guyanese doctors to receive specialised training.
This is part of the ministry’s thrust to continuously upgrade health professionals’ capacities while providing training opportunities for non-professionals who desire to enter the health field.
Two of the Cuban-trained Guyanese doctors left Guyana on January 1 for Guatemala, to commence their three-year tenure; while the other doctor is scheduled to leave for Paraguay in April.
Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran, in an interview with Guyana Times International on Friday, indicated that the government is working on creating its own cadre of eye specialists, who will eventually replace the Cuban doctors.
He added that this scholarship programme commenced several years ago. Apart from ophthalmology training, several scholarships were also awarded for doctors to receive specialised training in areas including orthopaedics and surgery. Dr Ramsaran noted that, thus far, Dr Shailendra Sugrim has completed his tenure in Bangladesh and is at present stationed at the Georgetown Public Hospital, providing assistance to the ophthalmology centre.
Prior to their departure, Dr Ramsaran presented several medical texts to doctors Vineshri Khirodhar, Jenell Sargu and Celeste Hanes. The National Ophthalmology Hospital was opened in 2009 with the intention to provide eye care services to Guyanese free of cost.
Thus far, there has been a reduction in the number of persons requiring surgery for cataract. Several medical outreaches were carried out in the administrative regions in an effort to reach more Guyanese. Additionally, the institution also welcomes persons from neighbouring countries to access its services.
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