First World hospital in a Third World country

Feb 05, 2011 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
In an effort to contain cost and increase access to specialty care, the Guyana Government is considering building a specialty hospital for cardiac care etc.
Running a specialty hospital in a first world country, with an oversight board and a foundation to raise money is a daunting task, much less in a third world country. It is a nice idea, since so many Guyanese at home cannot access affordable care.
Recruiting doctors from India, which has a vast abundance of doctors, seems good, but what quality of doctors are you getting. The best trained cardiac doctors are from the UK, Canada and America, fellowship trained, following set protocols and doing research to improve quality of care.
Building the structure of the building is the easy part, staffing with board certified doctors and specialty trained nurses and equipment is a challenge. In a previous article the Minister of Health said that Guyana cannot afford to pay for cholesterol medication, it’s too expensive.
However medical management of Hypertension, Diabetes and high cholesterol is equally effective to more expensive invasive cardiac surgery and less complicated and more cost effective. Why jump ahead to costly complicated surgery when primary prevention of life style modification and treating the underlying causes of heart disease is not addressed. There is a need for surgery when primary prevention fails and it is expensive to do abroad, so there is a need for such a hospital in Guyana.
One idea to the staffing solution is to use Guyanese doctors; it is a common belief that Guyanese doctors abroad will not help, to the country most would like to help. There are many Guyanese specialists throughout the world, respectable, well trained and very competent. Just as the kidney transplant was done, bring the specialist and their team in, the Ministry of Health should provide the operating facility and logistic.
I suggest once the hospital is built, the Ministry of Health on their website should have a list of what specialist services are needed and when, doctors abroad, Guyanese and non-Guyanese both can see what’s needed and volunteer their time.
It will not be easy, but a few good outcome will persuade more to help; like wise bad logistic, poor equipment and staff, political interference etc. will turn away many.
Guyana cannot afford to pay for the service of these doctors but, can pay for airline tickets, provide accommodation and food and security.
I shared this story with a friend whose son is in fellowship training in the USA, he love the idea of his kids going home to help, but was more scared of them being robbed, kidnapped of killed once there.
Security is a big concern, if not addressed qualified professionals will not return to help and those recruited will soon find jobs in other Caribbean countries as our teachers, nurses etc. have done.
Name and Address Withheld

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First World hospital in a Third World country

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