Paediatrics care to be improved with Master’s Programme

Oct 07, 2011 News

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Regarded as a giant leap in the health sector aimed at improving paediatric care, the public health sector is poised for some much needed improvement with the introduction of a Master’s Degree in Paediatrics Programme.  The historic initiative comes through the collaboration of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC)’s Institute of Health Science Education, the University of Guyana and the Humber River Regional Hospital in Toronto.
The candidates for the inaugural programme – Clive Bowman, Seepersaud Chatterdeo, Radha Luknauth, Arnelle Sparman and Sherelyn Stanton – were introduced by Local Director of the Programme, Dr. Hardat Persaud.  They were each presented with a token of Paediatric texts by External Director of the Programme, Dr. Narendra Singh.
Ahead of detailing the nature of the programme, Dr. Singh, Chief of Paediatrics at the Humber River Regional Hospital in Toronto, described the introduction of the programme yesterday as a “nostalgic moment”. Guyanese by birth, he has a genetic background in the local public health arena. He alluded to the fact that any good programme cannot start without good people, and made reference to the vision, persistence and perseverance of a few persons including Dr. Madan Rambaran, Director of Professional and Medical Services.

“Without his vision two years ago I would not have been here, without his persistence, perseverance and his downright stubbornness…we would not have gotten this programme off the ground.”
The intent, according to Dr. Singh, is to admit a total of three graduates to the three-year programme on a yearly basis, although this year it has kicked off with five candidates.  The programme, he said too, will be taught primarily by external faculty members from the University of Toronto and McMaster University, where he himself lectures.
“We have so far in excess of 20-odd volunteer faculties who will be coming down every month for approximately two weeks at a time at least, and during that period teaching will occur at the bedside.”
Teaching, he said, will include didactic sessions regularly during the week, problem-based learning, and there will be twice a week teleconferencing. The teaching process is expected to be completed within a two-year period, following which the senior residents will be expected to take on a greater teaching role, D.r Singh asserted.
Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Emanuel Cummings, pointed out that those who have been selected for the programme are in fact products of the undergraduate programme offered by the University of Guyana, stressing that “we are happy that they have stayed in Guyana and will form the first cohort made up of a mixture of youth and experience”.
He further urged that the five candidates remain in Guyana after their training would have been completed, even as he disclosed that over the years an average of 25-30 individuals are graduated but the best of them often opt to migrate.
He nonetheless asserted that there are some, the likes of Dr. Seepersaud Chatterdeo, an outstanding graduate, who have shown sustained commitment to the local health sector over the years.
“We are encouraging our graduates and graduates from other medical schools to enrol in this post-graduate programme that we are launching today…I would expect that you would develop some sort of a research profile and develop your own capacity, not only as a resident, but also as an academic,” Dr Cummings told the candidates, as he referred to them as the future teachers and professors of undergraduate and even graduate programmes.
While there will be no cost attached to the programme, such as the payment of the faculty or student tuition, candidates will be expected to pay a small registration and examination fee.
Although the programme is set improve paediatric care it did not come without some challenges, as according to Dr. Cummings, the preparatory stage was at times tantamount to a lot of nerves. He pointed out that not only were there several documents to be signed, but there were times when the requisite support was not readily forthcoming. However, measures were eventually streamlined with the complete support of the University, he assured.
In applauding Dr. Rambarran’s contribution to the development of the programme, Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, said that much thought was required for the introduction of such a strategic programme.  He noted that although such a vision is aimed at plotting the way forward, it is premised on much talk, which in many developing countries does not move pass the talking stage.
“Unfortunately the vision and the talk must be translated into action…without Dr. Rambarran present at the GPHC we might have gotten there one day, but we would not have gotten to where we are today, so I want to add my acknowledgement to the work he has done and hope that that leadership will still be in place…”
The Health Minister further underscored that the Institute of Health Sciences education, which was established at the GPHC, was a vision born in the Health Sector Reform Programme that has become a reality. He expressed confidence that the Institute will be instrumental in providing the Human Resources that are necessary “if we are going to achieve our dream of a healthy nation; one of the healthiest nations of CARICOM.”

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