The Ministry of Public Health’s Disability and Rehabilitation Services on Tuesday bid farewell to long serving Rehabilitation Officer of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre (PRRC) Hyacinth Massay.
According to a statement issued by the ministry, Massay joined its ranks in the early 1970s and started work at the PRRC, which was then known as the Polio Centre. She provided rehabilitative services to children who suffered residual paralysis following the 1960 to 1964 polio epidemics in Guyana.
During her time at the PRRC, it added, she was responsible for the administration of the facility, which had shifted its focus to providing rehab services for children with physical and developmental disabilities. She was also tasked with the further expansion of rehabilitation services beyond physiotherapy to include the disciplines of occupational therapy, speech therapy, and audiology and drug rehabilitation.
The ministry quoted Director of Disability and Rehabilitation Services Dr Ariane Mangar as saying that Massay served Guyana in an exemplary manner during a 50-year tenure.
“After an illustrious career in the public service, we are all proud of Massay’s distinguished service and many accomplishments; and we wish her success in her future endeavours.” Mangar further noted.
According to the ministry, Massay was born and grew up in South Cummings-burg, Georgetown. She attended Bedford Methodist and Wedgewood Junior Primary Schools. Having been awarded a government county scholarship, she attended the Bishops’ High School in 1956. While there, she developed a passion for athletics and sports in general. It was this, together with her interest in helping people, which guided her choice of career in physiotherapy.
After leaving school in 1963, Massay spent one year teaching English Language and Literature at Central High School. Her desire to join the physiotherapy profession was achieved when her application for the position of physiotherapist trainee at the Georgetown Public Hospital was successful.
In 1965, Massay was granted a Govern-ment of Guyana Scholarship, and went to Birmingham, England, where she qualified as a physiotherapist in 1968. On her return to Guyana she continued work at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).
In 1993, Massay became the Director of Rehabilitation Services in Guyana while still holding her position as a rehab officer. She also helped in organising the Volunteers Serving Overseas (VSOs) to provide training of other specialties in occupational therapy and speech and language therapy. The initiation of this training was done by a psychologist who came to Guyana and found an interest in Occupational Therapy. She returned to England to retrain in the field and later returned to Guyana to dispense her knowledge. It was during this time that talks about a local degree programme came to light.
In 2017, the first batch of locally train-ed Occupational Therapists graduated. In 2018, the first batch of locally trained Speech and Language Therapists also graduated. This was possible through the dedication of Massey, among others.
