Three Cuba-trained Guyanese doctors have been added to the staff at the Diamond Hospital and two new services are to be added to those currently offered there.
Kevin Mana, Chief Executive Officer, East Bank Demerara Regional Hospital, Diamond, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) on Tuesday that the hospital hopes to soon provide diabetic foot care and vaginal inspection using acetic acid (VIA). He said the institution is manned by a total of 15 doctors, 17 nurses, five technicians and 40 ancillary staff. It also does not stock excessive supplies of medication or drugs since it is near to the government’s pharmacy bond.
Regarding the question of language barriers, Mana said there is no language barrier between the Cuban doctors, and the patients or staff. “The difficulty that exists is that the Cuban doctors were taught text book English, however Guyanese do not speak that, they speak Creolese,” he said.
GINA said the Diamond Hospital was commissioned on October 12, 2007 and serves hundreds of patients daily. In 2010, the hospital served over 90,000 patients with outpatients accounting for over 71,000 and clinical laboratory accounting for 23,410. This year’s statistics show that more than 23, 800 patients were served up to June 15, with outpatients amounting to over 15, 700.
