The Chinese medical team and a team of local doctors at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) recently performed a life-saving surgery on a 41-year-old primary school teacher from Lethem, who is now on the road to recovery.

According to a press release, the teacher who benefited from the rare and complex laparoscopic pancreatic tumour resection told medical consultant Dr. Qian Yi that she is feeling great. The surgery was performed two weeks ago.

“At first, I felt a lump in my abdomen, and it would ache faintly when I was worn out from work,” she [name withheld] recalled, adding: “So, I got a CT scan at Lethem Hospital, and the doctors told me there was a tumour.”

Although she considered travelling to Brazil for treatment, the language barriers led her to explore options in Georgetown instead. In Georgetown, she had an advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination. Dr. Wang Lin, a Chinese medical consultant in GPHC’s radiology department, quickly reviewed the images.

“It’s more complicated than we thought,” Dr. Wang explained, adding: “Although the mass shows no obvious invasion signs, for a nearly 10-cm pancreatic tumour with uneven internal components, the malignancy risk is significant.”

After consulting Dr. Qian Yi, a Chinese general surgery expert at GPHC, the Chinese doctors agreed that surgery was the best option.

Because of the large size and long existence of the mass, which adhered closely to surrounding structures like vital blood vessels, it greatly increased the surgical difficulty and risk. Once learning of the patient’s wish to discuss the condition, the medical team promptly arranged a meeting.

“An entire treatment process can be intricate and professional, covering multidisciplinary preoperative discussions, the surgery itself, follow-up plans based on pathology, and postoperative rehabilitation,” Dr. Wang noted.

Dr. Wang also stated that doctors encourage and welcome patients and their families to participate, emphasising that successful treatment hinges on patient cooperation and family support.

“I was extremely scared then…I’m really grateful to my family for accompanying me to GPHC. I clearly recall asking about the surgical risks. The doctors assured me they’d do their utmost not to damage surrounding organs and believed removing part of the pancreas wouldn’t affect its normal function. They said such laparoscopic surgeries are very mature in China. They seemed highly professional and confident. I told myself I could trust them with my life,” she said, according to the press release.

In GPHC’s pathology department, Chinese consultant Dr. Shi Chao and local pathologist Dr. Swarastie Persaud-Etwaria analysed the teacher’s results.

“It’s a pancreatic solid pseudopapillary tumour…a rare low-grade malignancy,” Dr. Persaud-Etwaria explained.

Before leaving the hospital, the teacher praised her care team.

“Dr. Qian and his colleagues checked on me every day post-op—even weekends—to make sure I was okay,” she said, adding: “That gave me so much confidence. They gave me hope. They’re amazing—thank you, Dr. Qian, and everyone involved.”

This year marks the 31st year of Guyana-China medical cooperation, with Chinese doctors bringing advanced diagnostic concepts and medical techniques to Guyana.

The release stated: “As GPHC’s CEO Dr. Robbie·Rambarran told China Media Group, ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. That’s the philosophy guiding the Chinese medical team here, training our staff, building capacity, and transferring skills, and they’re committed to continuing this work.’ As part of this partnership, Dr. Ramjoo, Dr. Persaud-Etwaria, and five other Guyanese physicians will visit to China in September for a three-month clinical training program at a leading hospital.”

With deepening collaboration, the Chinese medical team’s vision of “leaving a sustainable medical workforce for Guyana” is steadily moving from aspiration to reality, and this promising development is set to significantly boost healthcare for Guyanese citizens.