— surgeries to restart by year-end, backlog of 130 cases targeted
GUYANA has about 130 children in need of cardiac surgery and at least 20 children are expected to receive some relief by year-end through the resuscitation of the paediatric cardiac surgery programme, according to Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony.
A few years ago, Guyana had instituted an arrangement with the International Children’s Heart Foundation (ICHF) (Baby Heart), whereby surgeons from abroad would travel to the country at least once a year to conduct specialised surgical procedures on children in need.
These surgeries were conducted at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Additionally, the mission of ICHF is to bring the skills, technology and knowledge to cure and care for children with congenital heart disease in developing nations.
“That was stopped a couple years ago and now we have a backlog of cases,” the Health Minister highlighted on Friday. Resultantly, he explained that children in need of these cardiac (heart) surgeries would have to be sent abroad for treatment and over the past two years, only five children were sent abroad for surgery. One of those five children, unfortunately, died despite having a successful surgery.
Additionally, he noted that the treatment abroad could cost at least US$30,000, which, in the long-run, is more expensive than conducting the surgeries here in Guyana. “The cardiac team agreed to do (the surgeries) in Guyana starting this year,” Dr. Anthony highlighted, adding: “They would have to make an appraisal of the equipment here at the GPHC; we will have to buy equipment and by the end of the year will be able to bring in a specialist team to do the surgeries.”
While there are about 130 children in need of surgery, he said that the ministry is aiming to treat at least 20 cases by the end of this year. Subsequent efforts will be made to ensure that the treatment is given to the children. “We’ll work to see how we can make sure that every child who needs cardiac surgery can get cardiac surgery right here at the GPHC,” he emphasised.
MATERNAL AND CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
As part of additional efforts to bring relief to children, the minister highlighted that budgetary provisions have been made for the designing of a maternal and children’s hospital. Once fully developed, Dr. Anthony explained that specialised programmes like this cardiac programme would be part of the services offered at the hospital.
Currently, it is not envisaged that these specialised services will have a cost attached to them but instead, they will be covered by the government. Dr. Anthony, however, noted that the need for payments would become apparent once the hospital is developed, financed and operationalised.
In the presentation of the 2021 National Budget, Senior Minister within the Office of the President, Ashni Singh highlighted, “We are also examining the feasibility of establishing a maternal and child health hospital over the medium-term.”
