A TEN-YEAR-OLD Port Kaituma boy was flown to the city early yesterday morning and is receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) after a venomous snake bit him on the leg late Thursday.Reports reaching the Chronicle state that Ryan Fredericks was flown to Ogle Airport in a Ministry of Health medivac operation around 02:00 hrs yesterday in a critical condition with blood streaming from his mouth after a labaria snake bit him. He was then transported to the city hospital.

GPHC Public Relations Officer Mitzy Campbell told this newspaper yesterday afternoon that the child was receiving medical care and while his condition is being carefully monitored, he was considered to be stable up to press time.

Meanwhile, a source close to Roraima Airways said around 23:05 hrs Thursday night, flight dispatcher Bholanauth Baijmath received the medivac call from Ministry of Health staff Michael Gouveia and despite unfavourable weather conditions, the team comprising Captain Collin Martin, Gerri Gouveia Jnr. and Dr. Bholan Persaud of the Ministry of Health departed Ogle Airport around midnight for Port Kaituma on the 8RGRC Roraima Airways aircraft.

The Guyana Chronicle learnt of the incident yesterday after Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Roraima Group of Companies, Captain Gerry Gouveia in an inspiring comment on Facebook, commended the team for having the child’s life at heart, while risking their own.
Contact made to Captain Gouveia confirmed that the child was bleeding from his mouth and needed urgent medivac to city hospital.
After receiving the life-threatening strike, the boy was rushed to Port Kaituma hospital, some 120 miles away in the jungle of Region 1 (Barima/Waini) and was in dire need of emergency help.
Gouveia said at the time the call was received by his flight dispatch staff, “they all got out of their beds, dashed to the airport and prepared the aircraft. The pilots were awakened and within minutes the Roraima Medivac plane was airborne, making its way across the rainforest, punching [through] the rain.”
“The weather was deteriorating, raining with thunder storms…the runway had no lights, but ‘a life’ was hanging in the balance,” Gouveia pointed out.
DARK-NIGHT LANDING
He said in Port Kaituma, police collaborated with residents and prepared the runway lining it with various kinds of vehicles including All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) to provide lights for a dark-night landing which was considered “difficult.
“The Roraima pilots skilfully and with great precision landed on the dark jungle runway, and air-dashed that boy to life saving medical care in record time,” he said, adding, “Another life saved in the dead of the night.”
Gouveia commended the efforts and cooperation of his pilots and support staff at Roraima. He said that he was “emotionally proud” since their “dedication and commitment to Guyana and serving Guyanese are way beyond the call of duty.” The boy was accompanied to the city by his father Deon Fredericks.