Annual OSWI conference scheduled for Guyana in 2017
GINA, GUYANA, Thursday, October 20, 2016
Representatives of the Ophthalmological Society of the West Indies (OSWI) are currently in Guyana performing eye surgeries and providing diagnostic services to the eye clinic department of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
This is as part of preparatory work being facilitated by a medical team of the Caribbean Eye Institute leading up to an annual eye care and ophthalmologists conference in 2017.
Dr. Deo Singh, Ophthalmologist performs an eye examination on one the patients benefitting from a corneal transplant
The conference will facilitate international speakers who will give lectures and other educational sessions to eye care providers on the new aspects of eye care and how they will be able to treat with them, in addition to diagnosing and treating eye diseases.
Ophthalmologist and Secretary of OSWI, Dr. Rishi Sharma said, “The conference aims to promote good health care throughout the Caribbean and doing this by educating fellow colleagues and raising awareness of eye disease in the Caribbean and bringing treatment to areas where these treatment are lacking at the moment.”
Head of the Medical team to Guyana, Dr. Deo Singh explained to Government Information Agency (GINA) the purpose of the team’s visit to Guyana.
“Our purpose is twofold, one is to render some assistance as needed in conducting surgeries and advising on the management of persons with Corneal diseases primarily and Retinal disease and also to engage in some educational activities by way of lectures and demonstration to nurses and ophthalmic assistants in the medical community. The other part of our activity is to do some ground work in preparation for the ophthalmological society’s congress which will be held in July next year, July fifth to eighth, 2017 in Georgetown Guyana.”
Other purposes of the team’s visit include the review of patients who had benefitted from prior eye surgeries in Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Singh noted that some of the major diagnosis being made in Guyana by the team is of Corneal diseases; therefore the team will perform Corneal transplant surgeries.
The Doctor added that, “With respect to the transplant surgeries, because of the availability or lack thereof of materials we have targeted only
The Ophthalmology medical team of Caribbean Eye Institute of Trinidad and Tobago, in Guyana. From left to right at Back Ophthalmologists Dr. Rishi Sharma, Dr. Terrence Allan and Dr. Deo Singh. Front Row Ophthalmological Technicians Savitri Roopnaraine, Sasha Hosein, Dr. Sonja Johnston Ophthalmologist and Ophthalmological Technician Natasha Reyes.
three (patients). The third one was not a Corneal transplant per say but a Scleral transplant and that was done yesterday (Wednesday). My colleagues here will engage in some Retinal work.”
The Corneal transplant surgeries were assisted by a donation of at least two corneas from the Lions eye bank in Texas. The services provided by the medical team are free of cost and is made possible through collaboration with the GPHC eye clinic. The team also looks forward to returning to Guyana in 2017 in time for the conference to engage in providing further assistance to the eye clinic.
The mission of the Ophthalmological Society of the West Indies OSWI) is to prevent and eradicate blindness in the region by fostering lifelong ophthalmic education and research with the use of cutting edge technology and cultural exchange amongst ophthalmologists in the Caribbean.
OSWI plays a pivotal role in vision health for all Caribbean citizens by improving eye care standards through the work of its Board of Directors, Committees and Partners, as well as working alongside national and international ophthalmological and eye care organizations.
By: Delicia Haynes