THE Guyana Watch Inc. medical team is in Guyana and will begin its 18th annual medical outreach clinic tomorrow, which will continue through to August 1st. President of Guyana Watch, Mr. Tony Yassin, in an invited comment, said this year the target is 3,500 patients.
“We will be providing over US$400,000 in medication and will conduct medical and health counseling at the clinic sites,” he said.
The team’s work will begin at the Patentia Primary School tomorrow; then to the Anna Regina Secondary School on Sunday, July 25; Timehri Primary School on Monday, July 26; Tain Primary School on Wednesday, July 28; Bath Settlement Primary School on Thursday, July 29; and finally at Windsor Forest Primary School on Friday, July 30.
Yassin said the team consists of 13 medical doctors, two pharmacists, two dentists and 16 support staff.
He explained that the team has been continuing their work based on the need that is seen across the country. “We have been doing this for a long time and will continue because we look at the people,” Yassin said.
The Guyana Watch President noted that the team has been expanding their services and this year dental services will be provided. He said the Dental Council of Guyana has consented to supporting the Guyana Watch team with human resources.
“The Guyana Watch is supportive of the Ministry of Health’s activities,” Yassin posited.
He added that the health sector has come a long way and has seen “substantial improvements.”
According to him people now are more health conscious and make more of an effort to manage their health. “People are generally more aware,” he said.
Yassin said the team is encouraged and will continue their outreach. “We go to the people, bring the services to their communities with the aim to make a difference,” he said.
Guyana Watch
Guyana Watch Inc. is a charitable non-profit humanitarian organization which was established in 1992. Its main mission has been centered reaching out to communities that need medical assistance, health care and in the areas of education.
From 1992 to 2007, the organization has annually sponsored medical clinics in the 3 counties of Guyana bringing medical assistance to over 45,000 people. The group brings 10 – 15 medical doctors and a number of support personnel providing free medication to well over 3,000 patients in its outreach clinics each year.
The organization has also been responsible for sending approximately 20 patients for heart surgery overseas and financially assist in much needed medical intervention in Guyana. In 1998, Guyana Watch Inc. (GWI) brought in an ophthalmology team and completed 58 cataracts surgeries in Guyana and has since sponsored many corrective and other eye surgeries in Guyana and overseas.
In Education, it was in the forefront, building a state of the art 32 computer work station laboratory at the University of Guyana Berbice Campus along with computer laboratories in some schools.
In September, 2007 semester, for the first time, Guyana Watch Inc. awarded two 4 year scholarships in the field of Chemistry and Biology at the University of Guyana in Berbice and for two-year completion at the Georgetown Campus.
For 2010 three children have been sent for heart surgeries in the United States and another three is expected to be afforded the same privilege.
“We will continue to assist many others for overseas medical intervention,” Yassin said.
Guyana Watch Inc. is unique in its endeavours, in reaching out to the needy in that 100% of its financial contribution received from its few members, friends and well wishers are spent on its programmes.
It is a total volunteer programme where everyone pays their own traveling and accommodation expenses during these medical outreaches with the exception, recently, in the last four years the organization began to pay for the air travel and hotel stay for the medical doctors.
The organisation continues on an annual basis to identify where health care is needed most and to reach out to those communities whilst assisting other groups, churches and other organizations in their programmes of assistance to needy people.