Keome Benons, the administrative assistant at Davis Memorial, said at least 100 persons will benefit from the venture which will be held between June 21t and 25. Persons will be treated on a “first come, first serve basis.”
However, Benons cautioned, not everyone who contacts the hospital will automatically benefit as they first have to undergo screening and the results of this would then be forwarded to the centre’s surgeons in the US who will then decide the persons to be treated. Their decision would then be transmitted to the hospital who will, in turn, inform the individuals.
According to an advertisement, the surgeries would include the repair of cleft lip palate, all manner of burn reconstructions/scar release and all manner of hand/foot surgery including syndactyly, polydactyl, or contractures of the fingers from burns “and such”, trigger fingers, and carpel tunnels.
Surgeries would also be performed for hernias-inguinal, femoral, umbilical, gallbladders, all manner of small tumours, growths, masses, including breast tumours, breast surgeries and general surgery including Hydrocele, circumcision.
Persons are asked to contact the hospital’s receptionist on 272 0413 and make a booking. They would be asked to provide some information including the kind of surgical procedure required. Prospective patients will then have to undergo a pre-screening exercise.
The Kettering Medical Centre is located in Kettering, Ohio, United States. The centre is described as a faith-based, not-for-profit, regional acute care hospital. It is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The hospital has 481 beds and 1074 employees.
The centre is described as the focal hospital for the Kettering Health Network, which describes itself on its website as a “comprehensive, non-profit health care network.” In addition to the hospital the network also has under its purview, Grandview Medical Centre, Sycamore Medical Centre, Southview Medical Centre, Greene Memorial Hospital and Kettering Behavioural Medicine Centre.
Benons told Stabroek News that surgeons from the medical centre has been visiting Guyana for a number of years on outreach missions but this is the first time they would be conducting actual surgeries.
