Guyana to get two more Paediatricians by 2013
Two more Guyanese doctors are set to graduate next year with their Masters Degree in Paediatrics Programme, bringing the total number of Paediatricians to a mere four.
A newborn baby being monitored in the refurbished Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit of the GPHC.
The programme, which is being spearheaded by the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s Institute of Health Science Education in collaboration with the University of Guyana and the Humber River Regional Hospital in Toronto, was introduced during the last quarter of last year.
The two doctors set to graduate are Drs. Clive Bowman and Seepersaud Chatterdeo, who are among a batch of five doctors undertaking the programme. But, according to External Director of the Programme, Dr. Narendra Singh, the two are set for graduation due to their seniority in the field of Paediatrics. “They have been in the field for a number of years and they have been doing a phenomenal job because every month we have been testing them. We have been making sure that they are reading and I must say that I am proud of them,” said an elated Dr. Singh during an interview with this publication.
At the moment there are only two certified Paediatricians in Guyana namely Doctors Rohan Jabour and Hardat Persaud whose services are expected to be complemented with that of the two graduating doctors next year, Dr. Singh said.
The others who are undertaking the three-year Paediatric Programme are Drs. Radha Luknauth, Arnelle Sparman and Sherelyn Stanton and, according to Dr. Singh, another three doctors will be added to the programme this year with the view of adding more experts to be trained to help improve the delivery of Paediatric care. According to Dr. Singh, “when you look at what we have here per capita we need more Paediatricians in the system and the onus is to increase the complement of Paediatricians.” It was against this background Dr. Singh said that the Residency Programme was formulated and kicked into motion last year.
According to Dr. Singh, who is a Guyanese by birth practicing Paediatrics in Canada, improving neo-natal care is a key element in helping to reduce infant mortality. Dr Singh recently pointed out that Guyana has been able to do a phenomenal job in reducing the under-five mortality rate, a development he attributes to policies the government has implemented over the years. “They have done an unbelievable job in bringing down the under five mortality (rate) and because they have done such a good job with the basic illnesses now things are starting to balloon relatively.”
However, Dr. Singh pointed out that in order for things to improve further, there is need for earnest focus in the neo-natal area which requires technical skills and comprehensive knowledge in the field, a juncture he is confident Guyana has reached.
It was against this background that efforts were recently made to refurbish the neo-natal Intensive Care Unit at the GPHC, a move which was supported by the Canada-based Guyana Help the Kids Charitable Organisation and other groups and individuals including Dr. Singh himself.
In addition, he revealed plans to introduce a Neo-natal Nursing Training programme by May at the GPHC which will lend to the edification of nurses who are also crucial personnel to help reduce the incidence of infant mortality. The one-year Neo-natal Programme, according to Dr. Singh, will be undertaken in collaboration with a group from Columbus, Ohio, United States.
“We realised that if we train the doctors and don’t train the nurses then the programme will not survive,” Dr. Singh acknowledged. He also said that the programme, which is regarded a sub-specialty programme, has already been advertised and once applicants are qualified and registered nurses, they will be eligible to participate.