Gov’t praised for reopening National Ophthalmology Hospital

−16 successful surgeries done in one day

Several persons who successfully underwent eye surgeries at the National Ophthalmology Hospital to correct their vision, have expressed gratitude to His Excellency, President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony for reopening the medical facility at Port Mourant, East Berbice, Corentyne.

Last Monday, the team at the hospital conducted 16 successful cataract surgeries. They were conducted under the supervision of Dr. Shailendra Sugrim, the newly appointed Director of Eye Care Services in Guyana.

Director-General of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo

Those surgeries were the first since the Ministry of Health began upgrading the National Ophthalmology Hospital which was in a rundown state for a long period. 

A pensioner from East Berbice, Corentyne, Mr. Gajraj, who suffered from a cataract, said he felt his life had returned to him when he regained his sight.

“I must thank the PPP/C Government for coming back to office, for getting my sight back, that mean my life has come back again, I can see again. The cataract got worse and I used to see blurry, some days I did not see at all, I would have to sit down one place whole day and just wondering what will happen to my eyes.”

Pensioner Mr. Gajraj who successfully underwent eye surgery at the National Ophthalmology Hospital

Mr. Gajraj also thanked President Ali for keeping his promise of health care for every citizen.

“The President always say he is for all the people in this country, not for one race alone, not for one political people alone, I see him so, he is a President for all the people.”

Another pensioner, 65-year-old Walter Hazelwood from New Amsterdam, recounted a similar tale of worry about his deteriorating sight.

“I waited little over a year and then I got a call that the Port Mourant hospital would start back their service, and I had my referral letter. I did my surgery on Monday. If the Ministry of Health is going to continue in this manner, I think they will go great places, they have done well.”

Pensioner Walter Hazelwood who successfully underwent eye surgery at the National Ophthalmology Hospital

Sixty-eight-year-old Edwin Persaud travelled from Essequibo and stayed with his aunt in Port Mourant to be able to access the facility. He praised the medical team for their diligence.

“The doctors the nurses, the whole staff in general they were very courteous, starting directly from the gate right on, everybody was good to the patients. Thanks to the President, I would also ask him to open an ophthalmology centre in Essequibo for us there.”

Last Wednesday’s visit to the region was a planned exercise by Director-General of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo, who is responsible for doing general assessment of the regional hospitals needs and the services they offer.

“For some time now, we have had issues with the Port Mourant and National Ophthalmology Hospital and using money in the last budget we decided we will get operations here back up and running, not in an ad hoc manner, but something structured and dedicated to the Ophthalmology Hospital, and we are doing that,” Dr. Mahadeo told DPI.

Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony had visited the region in October and promised to looked at ways of improving the then defunct health facility.

To date the hospital has been outfitted with new equipment and medical supplies to facilitate cataract surgeries and screening for pterygium, a growth of membrane on the white of the eye.

The hospital already has a waiting list of over 1,500 people for surgeries.

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