$7M in eye care equipment donated to public hospital

Eyecare Guyana, through a European Union project, yesterday donated over $7 million in equipment to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s Ophthalmology Department to help stop blindness by 2020.

National Project Manager of Eyecare Guyana Charles Vandyke briefly explained that the project was long in coming and it took a lot of effort to see its completion.

He said that there are more donations to come, while adding that both the Linden and Suddie hospitals have already received some equipment, which replaced some that had been damaged.

From left: Dr George Norton and Dr Arlene Bobb-Semple, accepting the equipment which is worth $7.5 million, from National Project Manager of Eyecare Guyana Charles Vandyke at the Georgetown Hospital.

He said the aim was to have an adequate number of cataract surgeons and the equipment to perform such duties.

Vandyke noted that there were about four doctors, who were selected by the Ministry of Health, studying ophthalmology in Paraguay and Guatemala, who on completion of their studies would be available to perform surgeries on patients right here in Guyana.

He also disclosed that there will be training in the maintenance of the instruments.

Ophthalmologist Dr George Norton, along with Medical Officer Dr Arlene Bobb-Semple, then accepted the instruments from Vandyke.