Health Education set to be expanded at GPHC

Jun 27, 2014 News

…as Video Teaching Centre launched

Taking full advantage of the technological age, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation

Professor Debra Isaac (left) and Canadian High Commissioner Dr Nicole Giles, unveil a plaque leading to the Video Teaching Centre.

(GPHC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, Canada, yesterday launched a Video Teaching Centre.
The facility, which is officially named the ‘Libin – Guyana Video Teaching Centre’ will allow officials of the GPHC to interact with their overseas counterparts by taking advantage of video conference calls via Skype.
According to GPHC’s Chief Executive Officer Michael Khan, the facility is one that was gifted to the public hospital by the Libin Foundation and Libin Cardiovascular Institute.
“This is a much needed resource that will provide the opportunity to improve medical education and medical care by allowing Guyana physicians and other health care providers to interact live with other health care providers worldwide,” Khan noted.
And the results of such collaborations, he said, will not only cater to expanded educational opportunities but also medical case reviews and consultations between GPHC and its overseas partners.
Already education sessions have been scheduled between the GPHC and the Universities of Calgary and British Columbia, both located in Canada, and according to Khan, such interactions are only expected to expand.
Khan disclosed yesterday that the driving force behind the implementation of the Centre was Professor at the University of Calgary, Debra Isaac, who has over the past few years been rendering immeasurable support to the GPHC.
Professor Isaac who has been offering her expert services here since January 2012, related that she

Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran, (standing) addresses the gathering at the launch of the facility yesterday.

developed a passion to work with Guyanese health care workers and administrators with a view of improving capacity. And according to her, “the best way to do that is through education. We started our education programme two and a half years ago and we have expanded from there.”
Moreover, she noted that the video conferencing facility will pave the way for the education collaboration to be increased by ‘leaps and bounds’.
“We are going to be able to do cardiovascular teaching, echo teaching, as well as teaching for the other programmes,” said Professor Isaac who related that even her husband, Professor Wayne Warnica, is scheduled to do weekly cardiology rounds in Internal Medicine.
In outlining a number of other teaching ventures that will be undertaken, Professor Isaac vocalised her expectation that the facility will cater to interactive teaching sessions.
“It is not meant for somebody sitting in front of an audience lecturing at people, what it is meant for, is interactive group meetings,” said Professor Isaac.
As part of continued support to GPHC, she even spoke of the introduction of a heart failure programme in November, for which nurses will be identified to participate.
Acknowledging the role of the Guyanese Diaspora, Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, recounted that the initiative was started some time back by a Guyanese medical practitioner in Canada, Dr. Kishan Narine, who has been closely associated with Professor Isaac.
“This great fusion started and he came visiting us, and things happened…it has been fast and furious;

The inaugural conference call with Dr Brian Cameron.

one thing after the other,” said Dr. Ramsaran who highlighted that “this has been an ongoing pattern in the Ministry of Health…to bring more services to more people.”
According to the Minister, the launch of the facility is also a reflection of other investments that have been directed to training, thereby allowing for an increase of medical practitioners in the local health sector.
Emphasising the importance of health and education, GPHC’s Director, Institute of Health Science Education, Dr. Madan Rambaran, revealed that it was in light of the fact that Guyana had a limited teaching faculty, that moves were made over the years to solicit overseas support. Regarding the introduction of the Video Teaching Centre as “another important and very big step forward in our education programme,” Dr. Rambaran pointed out that the potential of the Centre “is huge and tremendous.”
He noted that although bandwidth has long been recognised as a limiting factor to video conferencing, GPHC has been able to garner support from the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) to ensure that quality internet service is continuously available. Committing GT&T’s support to the venture by his very presence yesterday was the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Radha Krishna Sharma.
Also gracing the launch yesterday was Canadian High Commissioner, Dr. Nicole Giles, who disclosed that Canada places great value on strengthening bilateral relations with Guyana through government, the private sector, civil society, academia and communities. Moreover, she noted that Canada prioritises developing long-term, innovative partnerships in accomplishing this goal.
She recalled that this strategic partnership saw the High Commission in collaboration with the Ministry of Health launching the Canada-Guyana Medical Partnerships Coalition. The Coalition, she explained, is a framework for the coordination and organisation of the numerous Canadian-Guyanese medical partnership interventions.
According to Dr. Giles, the purpose of the Coalition was designed to facilitate the exploration of synergies, the fostering of coherence and the maximisation of resource use within the partnerships. As such it facilitates the sharing of best practices and ensures a smoother flow of information to the main stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health and the High Commission of Guyana.
According to Dr. Giles, “Canada is working to help streamline the organisation and coordination of these medical partnerships, especially because the doctors within these partnerships selflessly and tirelessly work at these initiatives. They often travel to Guyana at their own expense, using their vacation time, to support and provide training and equipment for Guyanese healthcare professionals,” the High Commissioner stressed.
In recognising the support forthcoming, particularly from the Libin Institute, she noted that it is known for offering world-class treatment using innovative technologies and access to cardiac services through novel healthcare solutions.
A plaque leading to the facility was ceremonially unveiled by Professor Isaac and the High Commissioner, following an inaugural conference call was placed to Dr. Brian Cameron of McMaster University, Canada, who has also been offering his expertise to the GPHC.