– as focus continues to enhance country’s developmental thrust
TWENTY-nine young trained Guyanese medical students will enter the health system as full practitioners this year. These returned to Guyana last year and are doing their final rotation at the Diamond Hospital, the Leonora, Mahaicony and Suddie Diagnostic centres and at the New Amsterdam Hospital and Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

The initiative to allow students to do their final rotation in their homeland will ensure faster integration into the local health system.

Minister within the Ministry of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran said a further 300 Guyanese students are scheduled to return from Cuba in 2011 to complete their final rotation. This period of training is being done under the supervision of Cuban medical and faculty members and professors at the health institutions.

“We are going to stretch that over five years and a minimum of 500 to 700 persons will be trained…and complete their final training in the country,” Minister Ramsaran said.

The Cuban Scholarship Programme started in 2002 when the Cuban Government offered Guyana 350 scholarships. It was extended in 2006 when a further 965 scholarships were offered over the period 2006 to 2010.

The scholarships are offered in various disciplines including Medicine, Engineering, Technology, Agriculture and Telecommunications.

Diplomatic relations between Cuba and Guyana were established on December 8, 1972. From this period, the relationship between both countries has been strengthening for the mutual benefit of the peoples of both countries.