Ghanaian medical duo conducts cataract surgery at Berbice Ophthalmology Hospital

A doctor and nurse visiting from Ghana have conducted 22 cataract surgeries at the National Ophthalmology Hospital (NOH) at Port Mourant, Corentyne.
According to the Doctor in Charge at the hospital, Dr Devendra Radhay, the duo – Dr Boateng Wiafe and the accompanying nurse – were here for three days during which time they performed the surgeries.
Benefiting from the work of the Ghanaian team were patients from Berbice and as far away as the communities of Orealla and Orima. When the Department of Public Information (DPI) visited the hospital, patients were seen being taken care of by the staff attached to the NOH.
Khaymattie Gharbarana of Tain, Port Mourant, was the first patient to have her cataract surgery done at the NOH for the year 2019. “Nothing but happiness and the joy is what I have to express,” Gharbarana said following her surgery.
Naline Boodhu and Manita Mangal of Number 59 and Number 66 Villages, Corriverton respectively, were both diagnosed with cataracts in their left eyes in 2015. However, they, were unable to conduct the surgeries due to the conditions at the NOH at that time.
Rajdai Gridharry, 74, of Number 19 Village, had successful surgery to remove cataract in her left eye in 2015. However, one year later she was diagnosed with the same illness in her right eye. “It bothered me a lot when I could not see clearly even with the glasses so I am thankful for this opportunity to have the other surgery done now, I was so happy when I received the call from the doctor in charge of the hospital to come to get my surgery done.”
Parbattie Jagmohan, 73, of Liverpool Village, Corentyne, noted that she received her diagnosis a year ago and like the others, the cataract was found in her left eye. According to Jagmohan, she was a bit nervous the first day which saw a spike in her blood pressure, so she was encouraged to return home and visit the following day when she was calmer.
Also, among the patients who successfully completed their surgeries was Reddie Cobis. The 75-year-old Cobis who hails from Orima Village was contacted by Dr Radhay, inviting him to travel to Berbice in order to have his eye surgery done. Cobis complimented the doctors and nurses attached to the Port Mourant Hospital. Dr Radhay told DPI that a team from “New Horizon” is slated to commence further more surgeries. According to the doctor in charge, it is expected that this will make an immense dent in the current backlog of close to 800 cases. However, it was noted that the list has not been updated in a while and the names of persons who may have passed away or had their surgeries done remain on the list.
Following this, he further noted that medical teams from the Sai Baba and the Medical Relief team will also be performing additional cataract surgeries, as well as working along with doctors attached to the hospital to lay the foundation for the facility to be able to perform at least 20 surgeries per month after their departure.