EDUCATION comes with a responsibility to the community, and to the world and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has urged graduands at the third convocation of Texila American University to remain true to the medical oath.On Saturday, the university hosted its graduation ceremony at the Critchlow Labour College on Woolford Avenue, where a total of 31 students graduated with qualifications in the Doctor of Medicine and Bachelor of Science in Nursing programmes.

Most of the school’s students are foreigners but quite a few are Guyanese.

Speaking to the graduands, their relatives, friends and officials of the university, the Prime Minister noted their essential role of bringing help to people, especially the estimated 2.5 billion children worldwide.

“You must recognise that medical practice must conform to rules,” he said, noting that such rules guard against acts of malfeasance, professional misconduct, and negligence regarding patient care.

He also said that a breach of such rules of professional ethics and conduct carry not only penalties, but stigma that could end their respective careers in the medical field.

“My charge to you is to dedicate yourself to duty and to play by the rules,” he said.

According to the Prime Minister, the world is changing at a rapidly increased pace, in which once accepted norms are being challenged.

“In today’s global village every life matters and each life makes a difference, both locally in their community and the world at large,” he said.

Texila University has provided a foundation for the global worldview which the students must have to survive in today’s world, the Prime Minister said, noting that they should be the global decision-makers.

Speaking on the issue of healthcare in Guyana, he said on Friday evening, he listened to several Members of Parliament as they bemoaned that persons have to pay a tax on medical services at private clinics and hospitals.

According to him, he questioned whether the advocates for private medical service did not advocate a cut in consultation fee, in the interest of the poor.
“Why did they not call for a cut to heavy mark-ups by the pharmaceutical companies, and for a decrease in profits by medical personnel in private practice,” he asked.

In the same vein, he asked why such cuts were not made in the interest of the poor and deprived, “in whose interest the oath was taken”.

The Prime Minister asked the graduates that they consider such matters which he noted will confront them in future.

“I am sure that you will all make money in due course, but first you must follow your dream, be faithful to duty,” he said.

He applauded the efforts of the students and the sacrifices which were made by them and their parents, as well as the support they received from other loved ones.

“I ask that you give a round of applause for your efforts and for aiming to reach the furthest star in the horizon,” he told the students.

The Texila American University is part of a global conglomerate, Texila American University Limited, Hong Kong (TAU-HK), which also owns Texila Education Management Services (TEMS), USA; Texila Global Consulting Services, United Arab Emirates; and SAKSHI Education and Consulting and Training Limited in India.

The university began operations in Guyana in 2010 with a class of seven students at the Critchlow Labour College, Woodford Avenue, Georgetown, before moving to establish a campus at Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara, due to a growing student population.

Today, the university accommodates some 600 students with the student population growing on an average of some 150 students each year.

Construction of a new state-of-the-art campus is due to be completed by the end of this year, a senior official of the institution said in November.

Texila is investing a sum of US$20M to build the new campus, hostel and a hospital.