| Coordinator of the Cuban Medical Brigade of the Ministry of Health, Lakeram Bharrat, during a recent eye care medical outreach at Sisters’ Village, East Bank Berbice, stated that the National Ophthalmology Centre (NOC) at Port Mourant will soon offer corneal transplant surgery to the general public.The surgical procedure, which is not offered anywhere in Guyana would usually have to be accessed overseas for referral patients here. However, Bharrat is optimistic that the machine,NFL Jerseys China, which is on its way, will go into operation by year end.Corneal transplantation, also known as corneal grafting, is a surgical procedure where a damaged or diseased cornea is replaced by donated corneal tissue (the graft) in its entirety (penetrating keratoplasty) or in part (lamellar keratoplasty).The graft is taken from a recently deceased individual with no known diseases or other factors that may affect the viability of the donated tissue or the health of the recipient.Bharrat added that the Ministry of Health wants to reduce sending patients for cornea transplant overseas. He noted that a crucial set- up for this service to become a reality at the ophthalmology centre would be the setting- up of a cornea bank whereby eyes would have to be donated…“We do have the specialists so very soon we will be moving in that direction.”The Cuban Medical Brigade coordinates and monitors activities of the 175 Cuban doctors in the country “They are on a two-year stint in Guyana…and we have replacements.” In Berbice, he stated, there are over 10 doctors, five of whom are opticians.He noted that patients come from across the country. In- patient services, including food, transportation and accommodation, are provided, too, for patients who would have to overnight. The main sought after surgery at the NOC is cataract surgery.On a daily basis, at least 15 surgeries are performed “and again, it depends on the number of patients who come in.”“Some of them are treated, and some of them are prepared for surgery and when the time arises, they benefit from the surgery”.Bharrat is encouraging the general public to also visit the centre for an eye check- up. “You can walk in from the road and just go and test your eyes to ensure your vision or sight is working—that is an everyday service being offered there”.In September, almost 300 Cuban-trained doctors will be coming back to Guyana. Many of them will return to become specialized. They will be distributed to the ten regions in Guyana.Eye care testing was done across Berbice last week in Edinburgh and Sisters’ Village. To complement that, random sugar testing as well as blood testing was done. More than 100 residents were seen by the opticians on site at the two villages. Future visits are planned for the far-flung East Bank Berbice community at Mara, Plegt Anker, Orealla and Siparuta, “all part of the Ministry’s initiative of taking healthcare to the people”.Bharrat added that the MoH is continuing its medical outreach to all across the country, especially eye care services.There have been a lot of complaints leveled at Cuban doctors in Guyana, especially in Berbice, by some patients who allege that they (the doctors) have a difficult time understanding English during their consultations.And Bharrat was aware of this as he stated that several complaints have reached the MoH. “We are aware that a few complaints have reached the MoH and it is something that is engaging our attention but most of our Cuban practitioners—they are not proficient in English but they speak [English] and understand fairly.” |
