A Guyanese doctor’s inspiring story

LAST Sunday, Guyanese medical professional Dr. Keith Cummings was awarded a certificate of merit by the New York State Assembly. This comes after many achievements in his field, various accolades for his work, and countless philanthropic ventures in Guyana. But before all this, Dr. Cummings was just a young boy from the Corentyne; a young man from humble beginnings who had to learn to persevere.

Growing up in the Corentyne, Keith was a part of a large family that faced difficult financial circumstances. His father was a sugarcane worker and a farmer, and his mother was a housewife. “Life in the village was mostly farming; a few people worked with the government. We used to fetch water; there were no pipes. We would get water from three villages way,” he said.

Although Keith grew up within an extended family that did offer a great deal of support, at a tender age, he had his own host of responsibilities. From tending to the family’s chickens to ensuring enough water for the family. He stated, “I used to catch fish to assist in generating funds to go to school and buy my school uniforms. At that time, we used to wear short pants at Central Corentyne High School. I would catch especially hassa, and my mother would sell the fish to assist in generating funds to go to school.” The trials he faced taught Keith responsibility and the importance of hard work.

Keith studied pharmaceuticals in Guyana before being one of the first interns sent to Grenada. He later returned to study medicine as a family physician. “In 1994,” he said, “I moved to St. Kitts and Nevis and then I came to Guyana to do medicine. And I graduated in medicine in 2003.”

Life in Guyana has left a mark on Keith and the doctor he is today. He shared that, “Coming from humble beginnings has always made me feel like I have to make a contribution to the people around me, and to be an example to the people around me and to my family and to keep Guyana’s flag flying.”

Keith is an associate professor of pharmacology at the University of Guyana. The university, he said, left the biggest impact in comparison to other educational institutions he attended. He considers Guyana and the university his basis, and where his love, passion and work ethic really blossomed. But there are also some things he would like to see change.

“There has to be better resources,” he stated. He went on to explain that more emphasis needs to be placed on the growing number of students in Guyana. “The problem is that you have more students but limited resources. Number one is space. There isn’t the space for the students,” he stated.

Support, more importantly social support, is also of great importance to Keith. He believes that communication plays an integral role in education and the university’s advancement. He stated that, “There needs to be more support for the students. More social support for the students and more networking.” He went on further, citing that, “More networking is needed with other universities so that the University of Guyana stays at a higher standard.”

University research is also another factor that Keith stressed. He stated that more research published by the university creates better standings for the institution. He said that, “And fundamentally, we have to do more research. And the more research we do, the better the country is represented because when we start to publish this research, the standard score of the university raises significantly.”

Keith has done several outreaches in Guyana around the world and has contributed to various schools and organisations. But his passion for medicine is exhibited in his on-the-ground field work. His next endeavour, he stated, is a medical mission in the rural areas of Guyana.

In his practice and to his patients, he stresses the importance of preventative care. He explained that while it is easy to do operations, prevention is always the first step that goes a long way. “The most important thing is prevention, and we have moved away a lot from prevention. So, I want to do education on prevention, “he stated.

In the near future, Keith is planning a medical mission with the interior of Guyana and hopes to partner with Guyana’s government in screening. He stated that, “I want to be on the ground, particularly in the rural areas and do educational sessions. That’s my main next move. And probably work with the government to do some screening of the most common diseases.”

Coming from a home where he never knew what an electrical build was to being one of the best doctors in his field, Keith embodies the true Guyanese spirit of strength. “Your circumstances do not dictate your outcome,” Keith stated. He urged every Guyanese to build themselves and to become a beacon of light to others. “Always try to make yourself better. And once you try to make yourself better you will stimulate and empower other people who may be in a less fortunate situation,” he said.