Dr Dukhi to operate free of cost on Kato mother of 8

Guyana’s lone Neurosurgeon and Head of Neurosurgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Dr Amarnauth Dukhi has offered to perform a lifesaving operation free of charge on 50-year-old, Junita Gomes.

The mother of eight from Kato Village in Region Eight was diagnosed with Acoustic Neuroma on March 05, 2019. A year later after an MRI, Gomes is now diagnosed with CP angle brain tumor and Obstructive Hydrocephalus.

It is a benign tumor that develops on the balance and auditory nerves leading from the inner ear to the brain.

After the News Room reported that the woman is seeking financial assistance to offset the $1.8M cost of the surgery to drain the fluid from the rare brain tumor, Dr Dukhi got on board and contacted the St Joseph Mercy Hospital where the surgery will be done, to have all fees waived.

“I have waived all charges and I am going to do it free of cost for her and Mercy and the Chairman of the Board waived all fees,” Dr Dukhi told the News Room.

The operation will include draining the buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain caused by the tumor and placing a VP shunt. The shunt is a permanent catheter which will help to drain cerebrospinal fluid and redirect it to another location in the body where it can be reabsorbed.

Dr Dukhi said the surgery can be done as soon as Monday, June 08.

“The immediate aspect which is critical to her life, she has a blockage in her brain right now that is what we are going to resolve and we are going to put in a permanent system in her head which is going to take care of her current condition and allow her to walk again,” Dr Dukhi explained.

Meanwhile, Gomes will have to undergo another major surgery to remove the tumor from her brain at a cost of $4M.

“The tumor is another major surgery which is not immediately important at this time,” Dr Dukhi said.

Gomes’ sister, Maria Jeffers said her sister began to rapidly deteriorate in January 2020; she is now bedridden having lost her eyesight, her balance, her appetite and taste and her speech. She also experiences constant seizures.

Subsequently, in February 2020, Gomes completely lost her sight and is also now deaf in the right side ear.

In 2018, Gomes complained of severe headaches and subsequently visited the Georgetown Public Hospital in March 2019 where she diagnosed with the tumor.