After three visits to Guyana, the International Children’s Heart Foundation (ICHF or Baby Heart) has left behind an important structure necessary for the surgical care of paediatric patients. This is in addition to the 42 paediatric surgeries completed in collaboration with the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the Ministry of Public Health.
Speaking at a press conference held at the GPHC yesterday, Minister of Public Health George Norton thanked Baby Heart for the work it has done in Guyana.
Describing the collaboration between the foundation and the Guyanese people as a success story, Norton emphasised that surgery is complex. “We need to have not just the surgeon but other professionals all involved in order for that operation to be successful. An important structure has been left behind by Baby Heart. We are trying to build the capacity of the GPHC to cater to cardiac paediatric patients and so we thank Baby Heart for promoting the training of local personnel,” he said.
Sheik Amir, Director of Medical Professional Services at GPHC, explained that before the formation of the Echocardiography Education Programme by Dr Debra Isaac at the hospital, “Children were diagnosed haphazardly and were being sent abroad for minuscule investigations.” He explained that
