The Qatar Red Crescent Society is in Guyana on a seven day health mission to treat cancer, heart and urology patients, including children, at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC).
The mission is being conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Health with funding from the Qatar Fund for Development.
During a ceremony held this morning to mark the launch of the health mission, Qatar’s Chargé d’ Affaires, Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Rumanihi said the health mission is the first step in building bridges of humanitarian relations between Qatar and Guyana.
He said during the seven-day mission, more than 120 surgical procedures will be conducted.
“It is worth noting that the medical team aims to perform more than 120 surgical procedures, including surgeries and consultations for children and women, particularly for heart disease and tumors in women, with specific surgical procedures and numerous medical consultations. This represents an important push for the exchange of experiences between the two countries in the health sector through training and joint work, paving the way for greater and broader cooperation in the field of health,” Al-Rumanihi said.
The Qatar Red Crescent Envoy comprises a total of nine specialists including pediatrics interventional cardiologists, pediatrics urologists, OBGYN specialists, and cath lab technologists.
“The State of Qatar has sent its best and most experienced doctors, representing Qatari medical institutions such as Hamad Medical Corporation and Sidra Medical and Research Corporation, to share their expertise with our brothers and sisters in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana,” Al-Rumanihi said
The Qatari Ambassador said the project is only the beginning of an ongoing cooperation and reflects the close ties between the leaders of Qatar and Guyana, who have been working to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The Qatar Red Crescent Envoy will be in Guyana until October 15, having commenced the mission on October 7.
During this period, the medical envoy will carry out a number of specialized surgeries, and will also provide treatment for a number of diseases including heart disease and cancer.
Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony said the mission has been long in the making, and the patients have been carefully selected.
“So, they have been able to select a number of patients, pediatrics, adults, some in cardiology, others in gynecology and they will be doing a lot of consultation for these patients but more importantly, those that need advance procedures, things that we currently cannot offer in Guyana, this team will be performing those surgeries,” Minister Anthony said.
Minister Anthony said while at the Georgetown Public Hospital, the medical team will also be conducting consultations for other complex cases.
Mohammed Ahmed Al-Beshri of the Qatar Red Crescent said the envoy will be providing all of the medical supplies needed for the success of the mission.
“We are securing all necessary medical supplies and equipment for these operations, post-operation medical care and the transfer of the medical expertise to the local medical professionals through training and practice, and that’s what I believe is the most important, and which will make our visit more sustainable,” Al-Beshri said.
He said the Qatar Red Crescent Society also intends to meet with officials of the Government to discuss future collaborations.
Chief Executive Officer of the Georgetown Public Hospital, Robbie Rambarran and Yosef Ahmad Y A Al-Mulla of Qatar Fund for Development also lauded the mission.
Rambarran said the hospital is pleased to welcome the mission, noting that the surgical procedures and other treatments will save lives. He said through the mission, the GPHC will also build capacity through knowledge transfer.
Guyana and Qatar have been working to strengthen ties in several areas, with the two countries currently working to craft a Memorandum of Understanding to guide future collaborations in the Health Sector.
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