Over 600 Berbicians treated at medical outreach

Over 600 persons from East and West Berbice received free treatment at a medical outreach organised by the Guyana Medical Relief (GMR) at the Save Abee Foundation (SAF) at Cotton Tree last week.

Those treated underwent vital health checks before being seen by a doctor and given prescription drugs that were dispensed at the pharmacy. The patients also benefitted from free eye care, reading glasses and prescriptions for spectacles along with free frames.

A dentist along with dental assistants from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) also provided dental services from its mobile dental bus.

Patients receiving dental services from the GDF team. Sharir Chan is standing second from right. Third from right is Miss India-Guyana Divya Sieudarsan.
Patients receiving dental services from the GDF team. Sharir Chan is standing second from right. Third from right is Miss India-Guyana Divya Sieudarsan.
Patients awaiting free eye care services.
Patients awaiting free eye care services.

Further, free HIV counselling and testing were offered at a “space provided in a secluded area for confidentiality.” The SAF, which sponsored the event, also provided refreshments for the patients.

Sharir Chan, chief operations Officer of the GMR, which is based in Los Angeles, California, said the event was the first of three major outreaches held in the country.

The second was held at Cane Grove, Mahaica on Saturday, July 26, while the last one was held on Wakenaam on Tuesday, July 29.

Chan said the GMR has contracted a team of doctors from the Deskan Institute to execute the project, while local doctors also worked along with them. The event was coordinated with the doctors in Region Six.

Meanwhile, last year the GMR said it supplied a large amount of medicine and medical supplies to various hospitals in Guyana.

The organisation also completed the construction of a new storage bond at the Mahaicony Hospital.

It is also expected to start the construction of a new Accident and Emergency unit at the Port Mourant Hospital and Chan said they are looking forward to the opening by September.

Apart from those major projects, the GMR is slated to bring about 38,000 pairs of footwear for schoolchildren, which they would receive along with a free medical check-up