The Linden Hospital Complex received a defibrillator on 30th July from the Guyana Medical Relief, Inc., a Los Angeles, US-based organization that has been in existence for thirty years.
Sharir Chan, Chief Operations Officer of the Guyana Medical Relief Inc. in making the donation thanked Relief International for supporting the hometown organization with a grant, part of which was used to purchase defibrillators (a device that delivers a therapeutic dose of energy to the heart) worth $2M for distribution to medical institutions at Bartica, Linden, Port Mourant and Mahaicony.
CEO of the Linden Hospital Complex, Dr. Mohamed Riyasat in thanking Relief International on behalf of the institution, staff and the community said that he is thinking of placing the equipment in the Emergency Unit since there is immediate need for one there. Observing that the equipment “is brand new”, and that the donation is “timely”, Dr. Riyasat said “we will take care of it”. The simple ceremony, held at Dr. Riyasat’s office, was observed by representatives from the California-based Relief International, which has been operating since 1948 and over the years has donated medical supplies and equipment to medical institutions in over seventy countries.
It has been collaborating with the Los Angeles-based Guyana Medical Relief Inc, which has been operating for over thirty years. According to Chan, Guyana Medical Relief focuses on assisting medical institutions in Guyana with medical supplies and equipment. He said the organization shipped US$5.5M worth of medical supplies last year to various hospitals in Guyana, including the Linden Hospital Complex as well as New Amsterdam, Suddie and Bartica Public Hospital and the private Davis Memorial Hospital.
Chan also disclosed that Guyana Medical Relief, Inc. has also donated a mobile ultra sound machine to the Port Mourant Hospital. He said the non-governmental organization also engages in medical outreach exercises and it recently “gutted out and refurbished the A&E Unit of the Port Mourant Hospital”.
Mr. and Mrs. Victor Wright of the California-based Linden Hospital Fund Raising Committee also witnessed the donation. According to Mr. Wright the California-based Linden Hospital Fund Raising Committee, which is made up of former Linden residents, seeks donations and assistance for medical institutions within Region Ten and collaborates with the Guyana Medical Relief,Inc.
