GPHC now offering vitreoretinal surgical services

Mar 01, 2020 News

Due to the collaboration between the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Georgetown Public Hospital will now be offering Vitreoretinal surgical services.

Picture showing the handing over of the equipment to GPHC official

The process of being able to locally perform this procedure was only made possible after the equipment needed was donated to the city hospital by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a charitable organisation.
The handing over of the equipment was done last Friday at the city hospital. At the ceremony, the entire suite (all of the surgical equipment such as the retinal instruments and consumables required) were donated.
Vitreoretinal surgery refers to any operation to treat eye problems involving the retina, macula, and vitreous fluid. These include retinal detachment, macular hole, epiretinal membrane and complications related to diabetic retinopathy.
Speaking at the event were Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GPHC, retired Brigadier George Lewis, Head of the Ophthalmology Department, Dr. Shailendra Sugrim, President of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints, Kyle Baird, and Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, Glendon Fogenay.
In his speech, Dr. Sugrim stated that equipment can be used to treat the advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy that required surgical treatment, such as vitreous haemorrhage, retinal detachment macular holes among others.
“The Department of Ophthalmology at the GPHC has been championing the cost of diabetes related eye diseases which is a permanent cause of visual impairment and blindness in the working age population.
In 2016, the GPHC initiated for the first time diabetic eye screening through the Guyana Diabetes Care Project. The Eye Department at the GPHC was the first main local player that helped develop the eye component.
“This led to the hospital introducing for the first time in the public system laser treatment for diabetic retinopathy,” Dr. Sugrim explained.
According to Dr. Sugrim, prior to this project persons had to be flown overseas to access laser treatment. However, as an expansion of the laser treatment that is already being offered in Guyana, GPHC will now be offering Vitreoretinal surgical services free of cost.
Dr. Sugrim further stated that the Ophthalmology theatre staff were trained for a period of four days by US-based retinal surgeon, Dr. Richard Cory, in the use of the Vitreoretinal surgical equipment.
According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GPHC, retired Brigadier George Lewis, “Over the last few years, the Georgetown Public Hospital has been working on the improvement of services we offer to our patients.
In an effort to improve the delivery of eye care at GPHC, the Department of Ophthalmology has over the past four years has introduce cornea transplant surgery, diabetic eye screening and laser treatment for diabetic retinopathy.”
According to Mr. Lewis before the equipment had been donated to the medical facility, patients had to be flown overseas for medical services not available in Guyana. As a result of this, it cost the Ministry of Public Health approximately $100 million annually to provide this type of surgery to affected persons.
Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, Glendon Fogenay, hailed the provision of this service, as important.
“It means that our citizenry can have their surgeries done at home which will give them more time to recover at home,” Fogenay explained.
The equipment donated cost US$250,000.