The US Embassy’s Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP), working with regional government officials has presented a variety of aid to isolated indigenous communities throughout Regions 1 and 7.
A release from the US Embassy yesterday said that educational aid, clothes, shoes, toothbrushes and medical relief were provided by both US and Guyana-based Non-Governmental Organizations. These included Food for the Poor, Guyana Medical Relief, and Global Grins, while medications were funded by HAP. Distribution of the goods and services were done through Regional Education and Health Offices, as well as local doctors working in Georgetown and the communities of Port Kaituma and Matthews Ridge.
In Region 7, Charles Holmes, Region 7 Education Officer, facilitated boat transportation to the indigenous communities of Batavia, Falmouth, St. Mary’s Quarry, and Wineperu. The outreach shared out graphic educational aids, textbooks, teacher study guides, and reading and writing materials to each community. Students also received children’s shoes, clothes, and toothbrushes. The donation reached 246 students throughout the four primary schools.
In Region 1, the release said that HAP conducted a medical outreach between the towns of Port
Kaituma, Sebai, Fallstop, and Arakaka. The release said that the Region 1 Democratic Council acknowledged the logistical challenges in providing medical services to the various communities spread out through the Matarkai sub-district, which stretches from Port Kaituma to Matthews Ridge. In order to heighten the impact of the 14 doctors in Region One, Regional Health Officer Cerdel Mcwatt facilitated the HAP’s efforts to transport local doctors to Port Kaituma, Sebai, Fallstop, and Arakaka, treating 512 patients over the course of three days. Resident doctors at Port Kaituma and Matthews Ridge Hospitals assessed major health issues within the respective villages, such as malaria, gastroenteritis, and upper respiratory tract infections. The release said that Dr. Damian Fraser, Head Doctor at Matthews Ridge, was able to help with the movement of one pregnant patient from Arakaka to the Matthews Ridge Hospital. In addition to treating patients for various ailments, the medical team was able to perform over 100 tooth extractions during the outreach.
Medical and educational outreaches through HAP represent a key component of the U.S Embassy’s continuing commitment to work with the Government here at the central, regional, and local government levels to support public health and education, the release said.
