A total of 14 surgeries were done at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) by a United States medical team that is visiting Guyana.
The United States Southern Command Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) has been operating surgeries side by side with Guyanese doctors over the last two days since arriving here.
The surgeries undertaken by the team are complex ones such as ventral wall hernias, which are not routinely done because the expertise is not readily available.
Over the next few weeks, the teams will continue to collaborate for a dental and surgical outreach at the GPHC and the West Demerara Regional Hospital, with the goal of covering several cases.
Lieutenant Colonel Gentry Mobley, who is in charge of the mission, told reporters on Wednesday that in order to respond to the needs of the patients, supplies worth US$230,000 were shipped to Guyana.
“Our mission is going to be here for about one or two months across the Caribbean and our team is going to be here [Guyana] for about 16 days of strengthening partnerships and increasing our operability.
“We are doing it side by side with your [Guyanese] surgeons and exchanging that knowledge so that we don’t just cover a few people and then leave but so that that knowledge is transferred and stays with the surgeons,” the Lieutenant Colonel said.
Already, 14 surgeries have been conducted at the Georgetown Hospital, while close to 60 patients were treated during the dental outreach at the hospital on the West Coast of Demerara. The mission is supported by the Air Forces Southern out of the United States.
The lieutenant colonel also said that this collaboration is allowing both the US and Guyanese surgeons to exchange knowledge.
Meanwhile, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, an Advisor to the Health Ministry said, “I want to assure all of you that your presence in Guyana is one that is valued and cherished and I want to assure all of you that in our planning, the US teams that have worked with us will see enhanced partnership rather than reduced partnership.”
He further noted that, “The US has always been critical in terms of the health sector and providing healthcare to the Guyanese American Government institutions has all played important roles.”
But this is only one of many treatment programmes that have been implemented in Guyana with the support of the US Government and the U.S Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch reiterated the importance of partnerships.
“We are very excited to welcome this USSOUTHCOM team as it conducts routine medical assistance throughout South America to build partnerships, provide medical relief and improve our collective ability to meet complex global challenges,” the Ambassador said.
She added, “LAMAT honours our promise to be a trusted partner in Guyana by increasing collaboration so we can quickly work together.”
