Prime Minister Samuel Hinds has said Guyana is making significant strides in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as they relate to health, and noted that Guyana’s partnership with China contributes greatly to this.
He made these observations at a reception Tuesday evening at the Chinese Embassy, where he lauded the support given by Chinese medical teams assisting Guyana.
For 17 years, since 1993, Guyana has been in a partnership with China that has seen batches of 14 Chinese medical doctors, accompanied by one chef, serving in Guyana for two-year periods.
Since 1993, over 100 Chinese doctors have served in Guyana and last year a complex to accommodate the Chinese medical team was constructed in partnership between the two countries.
Of the 14 Chinese doctors, 10 are based at the Georgetown Public Hospital and the remaining four at the Linden Hospital Complex.
Reports are that the eighth medical team received nearly 80,000 out-patients, treated 22,266 in-patients, and were involved in almost 2,500 consultations. Also a total of 10,015 operations were performed and the number of emergency calls that were responded to were 5,000.
The teams have also contributed to developments at the Linden Hospital Complex and the GPH. At the GPH, the ‘Eye Centre’ and the ‘Centre for Laparoscopic Surgery’ were also developed. Some amount of training for local medical personnel was also facilitated.
Tuesday evening’s reception was a farewell and appreciation for the eighth Chinese medical team, and also a welcome for the ninth batch of medical practitioners.
There the gathering included both batches of Chinese medical doctors, representatives from the Chinese Embassy, including Ambassador Zhang Jungao and his wife, stakeholders from the health sector, and Minister within the Health Ministry, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran.
Addressing this group, the Prime Minister said after the years of collaboration between China and Guyana, relations between the countries are stronger.
He added that the diligent work of the medical teams have contributed significantly to the delivery of quality health care to the Guyanese people.
Hinds said the addition of new categories of Chinese doctors serving in Guyana, in particular the bone and plastic surgeon, is evidence of the expanded services that China offers Guyana.
He reiterated that the health sector is being continuously enhanced though such supportive endeavours.
The Prime Minister also expressed the hope for continued friendship between the two countries, for the continuing mutual benefit of the peoples of both countries.

Common Goal

Ambassador Zhang Jungao, who delivered an address at the reception, said, “The common aspiration for development and cooperation has brought us (China and Guyana) together.”
He added that the Chinese government is pursuing common development and cooperation for mutual benefit.
“I am fully confident that with our joint efforts, more fruits will be borne…therefore the welfare of our two peoples will be increased,” Jungao said.
The Chinese Ambassador expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Health for what he termed “valuable support” that is vital to the work of the medical teams.
“They have brought here not only their medical expertise, but also the friendly sentiments of the Chinese people,” he posited.
The ninth batch consists of two general surgeons, one orthopedic doctor, one radiologist, one pathologist, one bone and plastic surgeon, one cardiologist, two obstetrics and gynecology doctors, one ophthalmologist, two anesthesiologists, one pediatrician, one acupuncturist and one chef.
In an invited comment, head of the ninth batch of doctors, Dr. Zhao Wenxing, a general surgeon, explained that the hope of his team is to promote the friendship between the countries and build on the work of the last team.
“We will try our best to work and dedicate ourselves to the health of the Guyanese people,” he said.
Another doctor from the ninth batch, a cardiologist, Dr. Pan DeFeng, said the new services that the team brings are expected to build the local response.
“We were told that there are several heart patients here so we hope to help them,” he said.
The cardiologist added that for the entire team, this is their first visit to Guyana.
However, he observed that the feedback from the previous teams is that the Guyanese people are “warm-hearted and hospitable.”
DeFeng said, “We will try our best to work and improve health for Guyana.”
Dr. Hu Yin, a plastic surgeon, and head of the outgoing team, told the Chronicle that the health sector in Guyana is developing quickly.
“Guyana is developing fast and our team can help…Guyana needs the held to advance to where they can be,” he said.
Minister within the Health Ministry, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, observed that the input of the Chinese medical team is welcome.
He also highlighted that a few Guyanese have recently returned from studying medicine in China and expressed the hope that this was the beginning of enhanced collaborations between the two countries.