Following a needs assessment of the public health system that found a lack of expertise and equipment in performing and interpreting cardiac ultrasound scans, a team of Canadians has launched an eight-week programme here.
At a small reception he hosted for them recently, Canadian High Commissioner David Devine lauded the doctors and cardiac ultrasound technologists for participating in the eight-week training course which started on June 4.
According to a press release from the Canadian mission, the medical team is headed by Professor of Medicine, Dr Debra Isaac and comprises Canadian doctors and cardiac ultrasound technologist educators whowill be teaching a course in echocardiography at the Georgetown hospital.
The Canadian envoy lauded the mission and noted that it will have a tremendous impact in the local medical arena. “…I am filled with a sense of pride and admiration that the University of Calgary, one of Canada’s prestigious and reputable Universities, is able to play a key role in the process,” he said.
Devine also congratulated Minister of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran for facilitating the project and cardiologist Dr Isaac for her vision and leadership in designing and implementing the course. He then encouraged the participating students to take full advantage of the training to enhance their skills set and empower themselves to deliver quality health care in their chosen careers.
The press statement said the programme, which started on June 4 was based on a needs assessment conducted by Cardiologist Dr Isaac and cardiac surgeon Dr Kishan Narine in collaboration with Dr Ramsaran. The team “identified the lack of availability of expertise and equipment for performing and interpreting cardiac ultrasound scans in the public hospital system” which is critical for the diagnosis and management of heart disease which is prevalent in Guyana.
The goal of the programme is to teach public hospital physicians and technologists to perform and interpret echocardiographic studies. The course includes educational sessions on the management of various heart conditions. Five students, including physicians and a radiography technologist will participate in the programme. The students were provided with study modules four weeks prior to the formal start of the course. The modules cover basic ultrasound physics principles and standard echocardiography imaging views and windows.
The formal onsite education course is divided into four sessions. Each session will be co-taught by two experienced echocardiography technologists from Calgary, the release said. In the final week of the course, the echocardiologist from Calgary will provide final assessment and clinical correlation for the students. Classroom and initial scanning will be done at the Dawn Education Centre while later scanning will take place at the Georgetown hospital. Equipment for use during the course consists of donated echocardiographic machines, two of which will be located at the Centre and the other two at the hospital.
