China on Monday donated medical tools and equipment that will benefit general surgery and other areas to the Ministry of Health.
The equipment, which includes an ultrasound machine, is valued at $25M, according to a Government Information Agency (GINA) report, which said the donation is a demonstration of the strong ties shared by Guyana and China.
Over the years, the relations between the countries have seen the service of Chinese doctors and the provision of medical scholarships for Guyanese to study in China.
Monday’s donation will also benefit ophthalmology, orthopaedics, gynaecology and obstetrics, plastic surgery and the endocrinology departments at the Georgetown Hospital, GINA said. The ultrasound machine is for the Linden Hospital Complex in Region 10, it added.
Minister of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran expressed gratitude for the donation and highlighted successes in the health sector made possible through bilateral relationships with China, Cuba and other countries.
He noted that at a recent outreach held at the Wales Community Ground, in Region Three, 15,000 citizens benefited from medical attention and the event was well supported by Cuban nationals and a dentist who has completed the dentistry programme in China. Dr Ramsaran mentioned too that Guyana’s National Ophthalmology Hospital in Port Mourant is as a result of the good relations with the Cuban Government.
In his remarks, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Yu Wenzhe said the equipment will be distributed to the Georgetown Hospital, the Linden Hospital Complex and other health institutions.
Regarding the medical outreaches being carried out by the ministry, Wenzhe noted that the purpose of those is to take medical services to the ordinary man.
He also noted that the tenth Chinese medical brigade, which has been in Guyana for four months, has already developed good working relations with their Guyanese colleagues and patients, and most importantly they serve as a bridge between Guyana and China. The ambassador pointed out that China will continue to provide assistance to the best of its ability to Guyana.
With regards to the provision of medical scholarships, Wenzhe revealed that the Government of China has issued eight scholarships to Guyanese youths to study medicine, dentistry and general medicine. These scholarships are provided based on the needs of the country.
GINA noted that in 1972, Guyana and China established diplomatic ties and to date their bilateral relations have fostered steady development which is seen in the realisation of the Skeldon Sugar Factory, the Guyana International Conference Centre, the two ferry vessels Kanawan and Sabanto, the donation of thousands of laptops for the One Laptop Per Family project and training of GDF air corps pilots and engineers. This is the fortieth year that Guyana and China have shared diplomatic ties.
