Govt. builds TB treatment facility in Dr. Moti Lall’s honour

Mar 30, 2014 News

Government will be dedicating the Tuberculosis (TB) treatment and care facility recently constructed at the West Demerara Regional Hospital in honour of the late Dr. Moti Lall. The facility is expected to be named Dr. Moti Lall’s TB Step-Down Care Facility.
This disclosure was made by Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, Chief Medical Officer, at the National Tuberculosis

The late Dr. Moti Lall

Programme’s staff appreciation ceremony, Saturday evening at Pegasus, Kingston. He was at the time delivering the feature address on behalf of the absent Health Minister, Dr. Bheri Ramsarran.
Born on January 14, 1942, Dr. Moti Lall passed away on January 10, 2012. He had dedicated just under four decades of his life addressing pulmonary (lung) conditions and diseases.
After completing his post-graduate scholarship in the area of pulmonary care at Rostock University in Germany in 1968 he was a fully qualified Pulmonologist or Pulmonary Disease Specialist.
In 1974, Dr. Lall was appointed the Medical Superintendent at the West Demerara Regional Hospital. He worked there until 2001, when he reached the age of retirement. The hospital’s sanatorium had closed in 1986 and this led to the opening of the chest clinic at Orange Walk, a facility which is today housed in the compound of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Dr. Moti Lall was renowned for his contributions to the treatment and diagnosis of pulmonary diseases, and was especially popular for his work in the area of addressing tuberculosis which even today, is considered a major threat to public health.
According to Dr. Persaud, the West Demerara Regional Hospital sanatorium that treated and cared for persons infected with TB was closed in 1986. This was owing to many factors including the country’s economic state and the perception that Guyana was rid of TB.
Nonetheless, with more resources available and emphasis on eliminating TB, the Ministry of Health sought to transform a section of the hospital to house the 22-bed facility. The idea is to provide adequate treatment and care for patients.
Infected homeless persons would be housed at the facility during their recovery period.
This is not the only initiative the Ministry of Health has taken to commemorate the

Dr. Shamdeo Persaud presents Dr. Mc Donald with the Dr. Moti Lall award while Dr. Jeetendra Mohanlall, Head of the NTP (L) and Joseph Hamilton Ministry of Health’s Parliamentary Secretary (R) look on

efforts of Dr. Lall. The National Tuberculosis Programme in recognition of his over 30 years in fighting TB in Guyana established the Dr. Moti Lall’s award, Dr. Jeetendra Mohanlall, Head of the NTP said.
The Dr. Moti Lall award was presented to Dr. Mc Donald for dedication and commitment in the fight against TB at the regional level.