Health Ministry to request more doctors from China – Minister Ramsaran
The Chinese Medical Brigade has been providing good support to the local health care system, and in this regard, the Government will be requesting additional specialist doctors especially in gynaecology as Guyana works towards achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5.
Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran made this disclosure during a meeting with a visiting team of Chinese doctors who are in Guyana to check on the work being done by the current batch of Chinese doctors who are attached to the Linden hospital Complex in Region 10, and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
In a brief meeting today with the six- man delegation from Jangsu Province, China, Minister Ramsaran acknowledged that the Chinese brigade has been providing good support to Guyana’s health care programme, noting that they have a good relationship with the people in the communities in which they serve, especially in Linden, and they are a good model that can be followed by others.
Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran interacting with the visiting team of doctors from the Jangsu Province, China. On the Minister’s right is the Deputy Ambassador, Li Qinfeng
He further expressed appreciation to the Chinese Government for its support in specialised fields such as urology, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, and traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, and radiology.
“The impact will be a continuation of what has already been achieved by the Chinese team in the area of surgery, especially at our main referral hospital where they would be able to deal with the difficult cases that would be sent from the regional and district hospitals,” Minister Ramsaran said.
Apart from the Guyanese doctors, the Chinese cohort is an addition to the specialists that are already in Guyana’s health care system, including Cubans and Indians.
Deputy Chinese Ambassador, Li Qinfeng noted that since the arrival of the 10th batch of doctors last year, they have been serving the Guyanese public wholeheartedly, and during their tenure they have demonstrated their devotion and professionalism in the field.
The visiting team is being led by Vice President – Chief Surgeon of Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University. The others are from the Suzhou Municipal Health Bureau and the Children’s Hospital of Soochow University.
The first protocol which allowed Chinese health personnel to practice in Guyana was signed on March 26, 1993, and based on this developing relationship, in 1997 both governments signed the protocols, and Guyana was the first Caribbean nation to receive Chinese doctors. Since then over 120 Chinese specialist doctors have had the opportunity to work with their Guyanese counterparts.
In1972, Guyana and China established diplomatic ties, and to date their bilateral relation has witnessed steady development which is seen in the realisation of the Skeldon Sugar Factory, the Guyana International Conference Centre, the two ferry vessels Kanawan and Sabanto, donation of thousands of laptops for the One Laptop Per Family project and training of GDF air corps pilots and engineers.
