A team of surgical specialists from the Georgetown Public Hospital, the Minis-try of Public Health and other health facilities in Regions 2, 6 and 10, conducted a two-day outreach at the Mabaruma Regional Hospital during which 27 surgeries were done.
A release from the Department of Public Information (DPI) yesterday said that patients living outside of Mabaruma were airlifted and transported to the regional hospital by the RDC which committed to covering all costs. The surgeries were done at no cost to the patients or their families.
Pensioner from the Moruca Sub-Region, Raymond Romascindo, who has worked in mining sector for more than forty years, was in to do a hydrocelectomy (hydrocele removal). He said, “I never took it seriously but this year it came down [got worse] and I knew I would have to take a surgery. They [the doctor] had me on a clinic so now I am very happy to have the surgery.”
Debra James, a Guyana-Venezuela resident was already in surgery and her daughter Jocelyn Lugo said for the last two years her mother has been trying to have the surgery done. She added that they had money for her to travel but after being seen by a local doctor she was put on the list for this surgery.
DPI said that other surgical operations that were carried out by the team include Hernia repairs, removal of gall stones, tubal ligation, dilation and curettage, cervical biopsies and a Caesarean Section
According to DPI, it has been a while since a surgical outreach was held in Mabaruma and the Public Health Ministry has noted the high cost incurred to transport a patient or patients for surgery to Georgetown.
According to Director of Regional and Clinical Services, Dr Kay Shako, the surgical outreach is part of an overall objective to have the main operating theatre at the Mabaruma Regional Hospital functioning regularly, where surgeries can be done as cases are diagnosed.
Meanwhile, specialised doctors will continue to visit the region to conduct follow up reviews on those persons operated on during this outreach. Emergency cases, requiring immediate intervention will have to be transported to Georgetown until the hospital has the adequate support staff, DPI said.
