Four minimally invasive procedures successfully completed at GPHC

IN order to ensure that Guyanese citizens have access to healthier, safer, and more cost-efficient healthcare procedures, the Caribbean Association of Endoscopic Surgeons (CASES) successfully conducted four minimally invasive laparoscopic surgeries.

These surgeries were performed at both the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the Institute of Health Science Education (IHSE) training facilities.
Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, Advisor to the Minister of Health, expressed his pleasure in having the team from CASES in Guyana.
He said: “We are incredibly pleased to have the team from CASES in Guyana. As Guyana’s economy continues to grow, we are also ensuring that the health and safety of our people are also our priorities. Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgeries are one of the techniques that are being used to help heal, leave no scar, and have been proven to be a safer use of technology for surgical outcomes. We are working on equipping our hospitals with the equipment, tools, and medical training so that all Guyanese can have access to these services and not just GPHC. The CASES team, along with our medical personnel, have done a wonderful job, which is wonderful news for our health sector and our people.”
The CEO of Georgetown Public Hospital, Robbie Rambarran, emphasised in his presentation the importance of the meeting, where specialists get together to research the field of laparoscopic procedures and transform the face of contemporary medicine.

Mr. Rambarran further stated that the combined dedication of GPHC and CASES to promote surgical research is forging a path towards better health outcomes for the people of Guyana.
He also noted that, with each passing day, the medical community in Guyana grows stronger, more knowledgeable, and better equipped to face the challenges of the future, all thanks to initiatives like these that foster collaboration, learning, and innovation.
The President of CASES, Dr. Wesley Francis, explained that the surgeries represented are an important turning point in Guyana’s health sector.
He also mentioned that his organisation promotes and builds capacity for minimally invasive surgery within the region.
Dr. Francis said, “We go from territory to territory and perform surgeries, but we also have an educational programme in the country so that we can learn from each other, teach each other, and benefit from improved techniques that we would have learned.”

He also stated that their mantra is “improving care” and elevating the level of care of the patients in every territory that they visit.
Dr. Francis emphasised that the ground-breaking operations that were performed by CASES professors demonstrated the highest level of medical knowledge, which proved that they were not just proof of the surgeons’ skills but also indicated a huge step forward for Guyana’s medical development.
He also said that the successful conclusion of these intricate surgeries portends a bright future for the provision of healthcare in the area and establishes new benchmarks for surgical techniques.
Furthermore, the president of the organisation said that the day’s importance went beyond the operating rooms. According to him, the participating surgeons from Caribbean countries and the numerous residents of the IHSE Surgical Programme underwent rigorous training in fundamental laparoscopic suturing methods as part of a comprehensive educational programme.

He also said that “the attendees left the programme with priceless skills and knowledge that would certainly influence the future of surgical practices in the area.”
One of the distinctive features of this educational project was the live-streaming of the operations from the operating room to a special area where participants carefully watched the proceedings. They were able to watch the surgeries in real time, giving them a unique opportunity and a long-lasting effect on their careers. All participants who finished the training satisfactorily received diplomas as a sign of these efforts’ successful conclusion. The training was led by seasoned specialists.

The Director of Medical and Professional Services, Navindranuath Rambarran, expressed his gratitude and praised the outstanding advances in technology seen in Guyana and the greater Caribbean region.

He was proud of the area’s surgeons for highlighting their proficiency in these cutting-edge surgical techniques, which demonstrated the area’s expanding medical superiority.
The renowned surgeons and professors from the CASES organisation successfully completed the laparoscopic cholecystectomy using ICG technology, the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, tip inguinal hernia repair, and the laparoscopic hysterectomy procedures for the first time in Guyana.