Mabaruma, Port Kaituma residents to benefit from medical outreach
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony and US ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch at Wednesday’s launch of the Region One outreach
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony and US ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch at Wednesday’s launch of the Region One outreach

THE United States Embassy Humanitarian Assistance Programme (HAP), is set to host a five-day medical outreach in the Region One communities of Mabaruma and Port Kaituma, from August 2 to 6.
A US team of doctors from the Global Medical and Surgical Support Group, who are specialists in various fields of medicine, will be conducting medical testing and treatment in areas inclusive of hypertension, dentistry and minor surgery. They will also be identifying and treating skin diseases and other health issues.
Additionally, National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS Guyana) will be providing medical testing for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and several other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
The team, through collaboration with the Ministry of Health intends to administer the COVID-19 vaccine.
A main area of focus for the outreach will be women’s health and, as such, trained medical persons will be deployed to provide obstetrics and gynaecology care and other services that would cater directly to the specific needs of women in the two communities.
The initiative is expected to target approximately 1,000 persons in Mabaruma and an additional 1,000 in Port Kaituma. It is anticipated that this will be the largest number of persons ever targeted at any of the local outreaches held under the programme.
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, who attended the launch of the outreach at Bookland Gardens, Thomas Lands, acknowledged the work of the non-governmental organisation and described the initiative as “timely” and “necessary.”
He noted that many communities across the country, especially those in the hinterland, experience region-specific health issues.
“As you know, in the different regions in Guyana, there are specificities with different diseases. So, in Region One for example, we have more cases of malaria…we also have challenges with HIV and STIs in those communities. Those are the infectious diseases,” said Minister Anthony.
Further the health minister praised the HAP team for selecting two hinterland communities to host the initiative, noting that it is sometimes difficult for persons in those areas to have access to adequate healthcare due to the limited resources and materials at the medical facilities within the region.
“We have a number of persons that come to the health centres with a number of complaints and so we welcome the team because it is always good to have another pair of eyes and hands to assist, and more so in some of these remote communities once it is properly organised, you’ll have persons coming from various villages …to access this type of service,” the minister added.
He encouraged the team to ensure that adequate focus is placed on educating residents about the COVID-19 vaccine. He highlighted that neighbouring Venezuela has recorded cases of the Delta variant of the virus and as such, it is paramount that residents in the communities get vaccinated.
He noted that even while the vaccination drive in the region has been progressing, there are still some 9,000 adults in the region who are unvaccinated.
“The people who are coming to get other services, if you could encourage them to get vaccinated it would be a very important message. More so, as you know in the neighboring country, about a day or so [ago] we saw reports that they got the Delta variant…those persons who are fully vaccinated we know that if they contract the Delta variant of the virus they would experience milder symptoms,” Minister Anthony said.
Meanwhile, US ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, noted that the embassy is very satisfied to see its initiative coming together for those “most in need.” She stated that the outreach directly correlates with the policies of the organisation to ensure that support is given to the Government of Guyana and to the Guyanese people.
“The upcoming medical outreach in Region One does underscore the US Embassy’s initiatives to support Guyana in the areas of improved governance, security, and prosperity for all,” Ambassador Lynch noted.
She further stated that a US-based NGO, called the surgical and medical support group will provide nine medical personnel to the upcoming outreach activities, inclusive of nurses, physicians, specialised OBGYNs and anesthesiologists.
“It is really truly satisfying to see global bilateral national and local resources coming together for the benefit of those most in need,” Ambassador Lynch added.

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