Lindeners were on Sunday given the opportunity of accessing a number of medical services provided by the Humanitarian Assistance Programme (HAP) through the United States (US) Embassy in collaboration with the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC).
The services offered by the various doctors, specialists, and other medical professionals included general health checks such as pap smears, HIV testing, and blood tests. Over a hundred persons benefited.
Additionally, patients were given free medication, dental services, and counselling.
The HAP also held a blood drive and clothing distribution exercise from which persons who are less fortunate benefited.
Representatives from the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), Guyana Medical Relief organisation, Guyana Cancer Foundation, Cheddi Jagan Dental School, the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), National Blood Transfusion Unit, Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the Linden
Members of the Humanitarian Assistance Programme (HAP) team and patients accessing medical services respectively
Hospital Complex (LHC) were also present, and aided in the services offered.
Speaking at the outreach was HAP Director Reanna Johnson, who said cases of diabetes and hypertension were more prevalent, which she explained is consistent within all the Regions visited by the team. She pointed to the need for more education in this regard, and understanding of proper nutrition, as well as the need for patients to be more proactive with their diets, and start by educating children.
“What we want when we go into communities is for people that really can’t see medical assistance to be able to get that. I think that we’ve achieved that today”, Johnson said. She thanked the community for welcoming the team, and expressed hope in having a continued partnership.
Meanwhile, HAP Administrator Conrad Holguin said members of the community were allowed access to services offered by specialists, in addition to gynecologists and family and internal medicine practitioners.
He advised the lowering of sugar and sodium intake as a means of tackling diabetes and hypertension.
Holguin related that the response from members of the community was very appreciative, as he pointed to the importance of such collaboration between medical organisations.
“Without partners like this, a lot of this isn’t possible…and of course the relationship that we have with the government of Linden and other cities as well, we’re able to reach out to these communities and to these organisations and get the type of specialists that make these outreaches successful”, he noted.
Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Guyana Medical Relief, Sharrir Chan, also agreed that the collaboration made it easier for organisations to participate and reach more people to offer varied services. “I think it’s great that we have US Embassy here…getting involved at the community level, because it adds more substance to what we do, and it adds to the importance of seeing and understanding what is going on in our communities. I think collaboration is very important”, he said.
General Manager of CIOG, Shameena Haniff, said there was a “really good turnout” on Sunday, noting that according to the persons registered, there were approximately 140 present.
Also present were President/Founder of the Guyana Cancer Foundation, Bibi Saeedah Akhtar Hassan; Dr. Shaneeza Hossein, and Nurse Bibi White, among others.
