SEABOARD Agro Industrial Company yesterday donated an undisclosed sum of money to Doobay’s Medical Centre, at Courbane Park, Annandale, East Coast Demerara.

Managing Director of National Milling Company (NAMILCO), Mr. Bert Sukhai presented the cheque to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Centre, Mr. Vickram Oditt.
Sukhai said he is pleased to make the presentation on behalf of Seaboard “as we have seen the many strides you have made in such a short time in bringing relief to kidney patients and look forward to seeing the progress you will make in the future in cardiovascular surgery.”
He said it is within that context they have decided to contribute to a non-profitable body such as the Doobay’s Medical Centre.
Sukhai pointed out that Seaboard is his parents’ company, which is involved in flour milling in over sixteen countries, mainly on the African continent.
On this side of the world, they have flour mills in Guyana, Haiti, Ecuador and Colombia, he informed.
Sukhai added that Seaboard is also involved in sugar cane production in Argentina, commodity trading worldwide, shipping and pork production.
Butterball Turkey
He explained that many persons who eat Butterball Turkey would now know it is a Seaboard product.
“The split peas and other pulses you eat are bought by local importers from a sister company. Lots of imports come via Seaboard Marine,” Sukhai disclosed.
He revealed that, through other sister companies, Seaboard is involved in rice milling in Guyana and is the largest exporter of it to Jamaica and other non-traditional markets.
“So, as you now know, Seaboard’s presence in Guyana is widespread and it is not just flour,” Sukhai said.
Oditt said Doobay’s Medical Centre is a registered non- profitable organisation which opened its doors on September 15, 2011.
Relating some of its history, he said most of its funding and support has been from donations, including the building which was donated by the President of the Centre, Dr. Budhendra Doobay, an eminent Guyanese Canadian philanthropist and vascular surgeon.
The latter received a number of awards, including the Queen’s Golden Award and Diamond Jubilee Medal in Canada, while Canadian funding has been coordinated through the Voice of the Vedas (Vishnu Mandir).
The renal centre, which is a component of the medical centre, provides service according to international standards, Oditt said.
Affordable treatment
Their mission is to provide affordable treatment and quality care by trained professionals, inclusive of a doctor, five nurses and a technician.
Oditt said that, with their continued evolution to better serve Guyana, rates have been dropped for the dialysis sessions, from $15,000 to $9,000 per session.
He said some expansions to the Centre are in thought and have already been put to the Board of Directors. They include:

* a cardiovascular clinic targeting hypertension;
diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol;
*  an angiosuite offering angiography and insertion of
stents as needed;
*  a cardio rehabilitation centre;
*  expanded dialysis services;
*  twin surgical suites;
* a six-bed intensive care unit with recovery suites;
* state-of-the-art laboratory services;
* x-ray and ultrasound services;
* dietician services;
* dental clinic, ophthalmology and optometry clinic;
* a pharmacy;
* ambulance services and
* a professional school of nursing and medicine.

A time for these developments to commence has not yet been decided upon but, with its mission to play a vital part in betterment of Guyanese health, the Board of Directors is working to make the expansion of the facility a reality.