As an additional 86 medical doctors on Saturday evening graduated from the Guyana/Cuba Medical Scholarship Programme, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon urged that they commit themselves to selfless and dedicated service.
A Ministry of the Presidency release said that Harmon made these comments while giving the feature address at the Graduation Ceremony held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal.
The Minister said that the Guyana/Cuba Medical Scholarship Programme is testimony to the long and fruitful relationship between the two countries.
“The Cuban Scholarship Programme continues to perhaps be the greatest area of assistance, with the Medical Scholarship Programme being the ‘flagship project’ of training and support,” the Minister said.
Harmon added that the presence of Cuban doctors in Guyana continues to contribute to the overall healthcare delivery system.
“It should be noted that prior to 2015, doctors have never been assigned to hinterland health centres. [Today] Doctors have replaced medexes at health centres to diagnose and treat patients in their communities and reduce referrals to hospitals,” he said.
According to the release, Minister of Public Health, Dr George Norton urged the graduates to work as hard as they can to continue raising the quality of healthcare in Guyana, particularly in relation to the reduction of infant, child and maternal mortality. Norton also pledged the government’s commitment to continue to provide opportunities for doctors to pursue post-graduate studies in areas such as emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, internal medicine and orthopaedics.
Cuban Ambassador to Guyana, Julio César González Marchante said that the Guyana/Cuba Medical Scholarship Programme is a reflection of the solidarity and internationalism that the two countries practice.
Seven hundred and fifty-eight Guyanese doctors have graduated from the Guyana/Cuba Medical Scholarship Programme over the last ten years, the release said.
