Scores of Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) members and their relatives flocked its Regent and New Garden streets location yesterday to benefit from a medical outreach programme put on by the union.
The initiative, which saw several health professionals volunteering and pharmacies on board, was the first of its kind for the union and there are plans to hold others in the near future.
GPSU President Patrick Yarde, whose brainchild the initiative was sought the assistance of Dr Carl Max Hanoman to make it a reality.
Up to midday yesterday, 60 people had been seen by the doctors there and others were still arriving when this newspaper left.
Dr Hanoman and nutritionist Dr Emanuel Cummings, both lecturers at the School of medicine, University of Guyana along with ophthalmologist Dr Hayat Khan and specialist in internal medicine Dr Scential Kumar saw patients.
Although it was a public holiday, the four doctors, a pharmacist and several other medical professionals said they were happy to be a part of the initiative.
Yarde told this newspaper that the union has been publicly speaking about the plight of its public officers and their inadequate pay, diet and their inability to maintain good health. He said that because of certain constraints persons may be unable to see a doctor or may not be able to pay for their prescriptions.
According to Yarde, because of this the union has been looking for ways to supplement its members’ needs thus the idea to hold a medical outreach programme.
He added that while the outreach really targeted its members and their relatives, if other members of the public showed up they were not turned away.
Yarde told this newspaper that in ensuring there was a successful run off of the programme, several pharmacies and the Georgetown Hospital were asked to donate medical supplies. He later said that medication was received from the New GPC, Pharmagen, Ansa McAl and Dr Hanoman. He expressed the hope that the union would get more drugs from the other companies that were approached.
Yarde assured this newspaper that there would be other outreach sessions in the future. He said Hanoman improved his ideas and went about getting his medical colleagues onboard.
Meanwhile, Registered Nurse Kempton Alexander, who works at the Georgetown Hospital and was one of the volunteers, said adults suffering from diabetes, hypertension, obesity and eye problems made up the bulk of the persons seen. He said persons suffering from obesity and hypertension saw the nutritionist and were given advice.
When Stabroek News spoke to him at midday, Alexander said that 20% of the cases seen were for eye problems.
He said that several children suffering from colds, and in one case obesity, were seen. The only problem they had, he said, was that they did not have eye medication and patients had to be given prescriptions to purchase same.
Alexander said that as a health care provider he was happy to be a part of the medical outreach programme and hoped it would be done on a regular basis.