-courtesy of Guyanese-led US-based organization
PERSONS visiting the Mahaicony Hospital for dental treatment are benefiting from a new specially constructed waiting area where they can be seated and be comfortable while awaiting attention. The Dental Waiting Area comprising cushions as seats and a roof, was declared open  following a brief handing-over ceremony last week  at which members of the Cuban medical staff were present.
The facility was made possible through the efforts of Guyana Medical Relief (GMR), a US-based charitable organization comprising Guyanese residing there. The construction and handing over of the $1M waiting area is the latest assistance rendered the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital by GMR.
The organization, which has been in existence since 1984,   had in the past supplied the hospital with drugs and equipment, and was responsible for the setting up of  an  X-Ray centre  and a mortuary there as ‘one-off’ special projects, both of which are currently in full use.
GMR board member, Sharir Chan, now in Guyana, said that the Dental Waiting Area project had been in response to a request for help from the Hospital’s administration which had been concerned about congestion in the general waiting area at the Hospital.
“We had helped on numerous occasions in the past, and they thought that GMR could continue to be of help,” he said.
The request for assistance was made late last year.
GMR took up the challenge early this year, which culminated with the completion and the handing over.
Chan said that the GMR had last week donated two computers to the hospital, with the intention that they will eventually be used to computerize medical records at the institution.
Two filing cabinets were also handed over at the same time.
During the brief handing over of the Dental Waiting Area  last week, Vice- Chairman of Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice), Mr.  K. P. Deokarran, who was part of the Health Committee that had made the request for help, and Regional Health Officer of the Region, Dr. Adriana James both thanked GMR for making the facility a reality. So also did Sister Janice Bowen, Senior Dentex Officer at the hospital’s Dental Unit.
The contractor was Mr. Vadim Khan of Dundee.
Chan said the GMR is at the moment considering rendering further assistance to the Mahaicony Hospital in the form of a much-needed incinerator.