Dear Editor,
I felt very relieved when I read that “President Dr Irfaan Ali has pledged investments by his government into clearing the backlog of surgeries in the public health sector with a focus on women and children.” I think I speak on behalf of the many who would benefit from this kind of necessary intervention, and I mean from the perspective of both the patients involved and of those within their domestic network.
Indeed, it is not news to any that, when health issues are beyond what the primary care provider can mete out, there will be the referral to specialists, as long as these are available, or can be accessed. On this note, the great United States has, in recent years, shifted to offer more niche medical programmes that provide specialized healthcare. These medical programmes are often referred to as centres of excellence, that focus on the same diseases, disorders or medical conditions, but with a team of the best and brightest medical specialists in their respective fields.
For example, elite cardiologists collaborate on the latest research, treatments, and surgery techniques for cardiovascular disease, and oncologists pool resources to offer patients premier treatment and disease management.
On our local scene, “…the Head of State asked for a list of the surgeries that needed to be done, and made a commitment to having the needed specialists brought in to do them.” This pledge inheres from what President Ali explained, that, “We have been receiving several requests to support our healthcare system from different stakeholders. I want us together to agree which are the key areas in which we have a backlog. If we have a backlog in a specific area, which are these areas, and which areas you require us to bring in specialised help, so that we can clear those backlogs.”
Editor, my second comment seeks to apprise readers that we should bear in mind that a primary care doctor is quite different from a specialist. So, making moves for this level of care takes some doing. Doctors who treat patients fit into two categories: primary care provider (PCP) and specialist. A primary care provider is also known as a family practice doctor, internist, general practitioner, or geriatrician (for older adults); who is trained in a diverse range of medicine and medical procedures.
The PCP is at the initial-level contact, to see about basic health needs and concerns. A specialist, on the other hand, is a medical doctor who has completed additional training in a specific medical field, such as rheumatology, gastroenterology, or dermatology. Also, the PCP is the gatekeeper of the patients’ overall health, and is the one who would make referrals to a specialist.
Then where this initial and imminent move is concerned, President Ali detailed that “…surgeries for women and children will be a priority in clearing these backlogs… as I want us to spend time clearing backlogs, especially issues affecting women and children. I want us to identify the areas of backlog, and we’re going to invest in clearing those backlogs.”
A final comment here is that, overall, it augurs well for Guyana when efforts are being bolstered. For example, there is “…the $32 billion (€149 million) Guyana Paediatric and Maternal Hospital that is being constructed at Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD), (which is to be) completed in the last quarter of 2025.” This state-of-the-art edifice is being financed by the United Kingdom’s export credit agency, UK Export Finance (UKEF), and is being built by Austria-based Vamed Engineering. This piece of medical infrastructure would feature 256 beds, and would be a referral centre for women and children. The areas to be covered are maternal, neonatal and paediatric care, with a huge imaging suite for services such as CT scans and MRIs, a modern laboratory, and surgical suites.
Yours truly,
HB Singh
