Fourteen eye care specialists from Cuba will serve the Port Mourant Ophthalmology Centre and the Cuban government is offering students who have graduated from Cuban institutions the opportunity to pursue post-graduate scholarships in medicine.

Minister within the Ministry of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran made these announcements at a press conference held on Tuesday and attended by Cuban Ambassador Pedro D’Artega Cardenas and Head of the Cuban brigade of doctors serving in Guyana Dr Rody Cervantes.

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release the specialists will be stationed in Guyana for as long as it takes the country to replace them with health professionals who are now studying in Cuba. Ramsaran said, “While the Cubans are giving us this support the Ministry of Health is preparing with the support of the Cuban Government, placements for the Guyanese from Cuba who will be returning in 2011.” This batch will see over 300 doctors returning to Guyana to serve in hospitals, diagnostic treatment centres and health centres countrywide. The minister said too one Guyanese student will soon be pursuing courses in eye care in Latin America.

According to GINA the Centre is nearing completion and it will be furnished with equipment, accessories and other parts provided by the Cuban government free for over one year.  This centre follows the opening of operations at the Diamond Diagnostic and Treatment Centre on October 12, 2007 which, to date has treated 98,381 persons; and three other centres which started operations last year treating over 120,000 persons.

Additionally, Ramsaran said the 76th flight with 48 persons departed Guyana for eye surgery in Cuba under the Mission Miracle Programme.