The Guyana International Relief Organisation (GIRO) in partnership with the Islamic Relief Organisation (IRO) yesterday donated a quantity of medical supplies to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
As the supplies were being loaded onto the hospital’s truck inside the GPHC’s compound, Shazaad Khan, Chief Executive Officer of GIRO, told hospital officials and the media that surplus medication in Canada are taken to the Health Partners International of Canada (HPIC) and then sent to third world countries.
“Usually medications go through the Canadian government as well as charitable organisations that are qualified according to the status in Canada and works with beneficiary countries such as Guyana,” he said. GIRO, a charitable organisation, has been a part of this project for almost 10 years and from 2005 to 2007, it shipped about eight containers of medication to Guyana because of the floods that were experienced during those years. However, the number of containers shipped annually to Guyana dropped drastically in 2009 and 2010 and there have been no shipments here for the past two years because of the high costs involved.
Khan said that GIRO has now resumed operations and with the help of IRO, which he said is an international charitable organisation, they are now able to cover shipment costs to Guyana. “I would like to thank the Canadian government, the people of Canada and charity organisations who have shown the concern for people in Guyana so that we can receive this donation and that we all can benefit from it,” he said.
According to Khan, most of the supplies will be given to the GPH and a small portion donated to clinics and medical outreaches. The donation contained syringes, urinary leg bags, medications for skin infections and diseases, gauzes, surgical kits, precision 400 urine meters and other items.
Michael Khan, Chief Executive Officer of the GPHC said that the institution always welcomes donations as it reduces its costs. The money can then be channelled elsewhere.
He then thanked the GIRO for the donation.
Principal Tutor of the School of Nursing and board member of GPH representing the Guyana Nursing Association, Norma Semple, received the donation.
