After completing years of training that started with a dream to become a doctor, local neurosurgeon Dr Amarnauth Dukhi has performed several high-risk operations since assuming his post at the Georgetown Public Hospital, including on a police constable who was shot in the head.
Dr Dukhi told Stabroek News that he had dreamt of becoming a doctor since the tender age of seven. Having attained that goal, he took his dream to its zenith, specialising in neurosurgery. It was late last year that he finally completed his residency in Cuba, having performed over 500 spine and brain surgeries.
Dr Dukhi has been stationed at the Georgetown Public Hospital since January and so far he has performed 62 surgeries on patients with varying degrees of injury such as fractured skulls, brain/spinal tumours and other neurological pathologies.
His most recent case was that of Police Constable Victor Fausette of the Wisroc Police Outpost who was shot to the head earlier this month during an altercation with a prisoner. Dr Dukhi explained that Fausette’s injury was life-threatening as the bullet had penetrated his skull and had lodged in his brain. He performed a craniotomy which entailed removing a part of the man’s skull to locate and remove the bullet.
Fausette was in a coma and attached to a ventilator when he first examined him, the surgeon said. However, following the operation the man is recovering well and has shown no sign of neurological deficit; he is talking and responding fairly well and can move all of his limbs. He is expected to be discharged soon.
‘Taking care of someone’s brain and spine is a challenge’
Speaking to this newspaper on Tuesday, Dr Dukhi said he wanted a challenging medical career. Generally, he is excited by the medical field and the thought of “taking care of someone’s brain and spine is a challenge,” which he has dedicated his life to pursuing.
The young doctor hails from Skeldon, Berbice and while his family has now migrated he returned to Guyana to fulfil his dream and to serve his country.
Dr Dukhi attended the Skeldon Line Path Secondary School where he sat the Caribbean Examinations Council exams in 1995 and was adjudged the third best graduating student. He then enrolled at the University of Guyana where he matriculated with a BSc in Biology and Bio-Chemistry. He worked for a brief period before he was awarded a Government of Guyana scholarship to pursue a Bachelor of Medicine in Cuba.
Dr Dukhi has continued to blaze a trail of excellence and was adjudged the Best Graduating Student after which he returned to Guyana to fulfil the terms of the scholarship by working at the Georgetown and New Amsterdam hospitals. The young neurosurgeon said he owes his success to God and the support of his family. He is also grateful to the Guyana Government for giving him the opportunity to pursue his dreams and to the people of Cuba.
“This is who I am,” he said, adding that his goal is to save as many lives as possible and improve the local health sector.
