PAHO Director tours GPHC

Sep 15, 2014 News

– impressed with diabetic foot clinic

As part of the Wellness Week celebrations, Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Director DR Carissa Etienne and other officials were taken on tour of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
Following a Health Symposium to mainly discuss the role of civil societies in addressing emerging public health threats held at the Guyana International Conference Center (GICC), the group consisting of Health Minister Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, PAHO Representative in Guyana Dr. William Adu-Krow, Sir Trevor Hassell President of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, Dr. Anselm Henniss Director – NCD/Mental Health PAHO Headquarters among others, visited the GPHC.

Minister of Health Bheri Ramsaran presents a sculpture to PAHO Director, Dr. Carissa Etienne

During this visit, the officials interacted with hospital staffers and were given an in-depth idea of the operations at GPHC. Also present at the visit was GPHC’s Chief Executive Officer, Michael Khan.
The officials were taken to the diabetic foot clinic, neonatal care unit and other areas of the hospital. Dr Eitenne was impressed with the diabetic foot clinic for the job it’s doing in reducing amputations.
Later in the evening, the health officials, and officials from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Prime Minster Samuel Hinds and Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony among others, attended a cocktail reception held in honour of Dr. Etienne at the New Thriving building on Lamaha Street.
Dr. Kavita Singh in her welcoming remarks said the week of activities created history in Guyana as the Ministry of Health, along with the Government of Guyana continues to adhere to its overall mission of providing quality healthcare to Guyanese. She added that Guyana is the 10th country in the Caribbean to launch the Presidential Commission on the Prevention and Control of Chronic Non Communicable diseases.
Minister Ramsaran lauded the success of the Wellness Week activities and said the new systems that have been put in place to combat NCDs are not the end, but rather the beginning of hard work.
Dr. Etienne congratulated the Minister of Health and the Government and added that she will continue to join forces with Guyana through PAHO and provide support where needed.
Prime Minister Hinds joined in welcoming Dr. Etienne and reiterated that NCDs are an epidemic of current times, and said that everyone should exercise discipline in everything they consume and everything they do.