In 1960s Guyana, a woman from Albion had recently returned from Mecca, which is considered Islam’s holiest city. Her trip held significant importance for the entire country, as she had not been vaccinated for smallpox and unwittingly brought the disease back with her. Panic spread throughout the nation as news of her infection and the potential outbreak circulated.
Since she was a resident of Albion, it became the responsibility of the Port Mourant Hospital in Berbice to attend to her. Tasked with containing the illness, Dr Chet Bahadursingh, who headed the Port Mourant Hospital, placed the woman under quarantine until she recovered. Fortunately, she made a full recovery and the sickness was contained, bringing relief to the country. The doctor earned a reputation as one of Guyana’s best.
He solidified this reputation when he saved approximately 80 children from succumbing to gastroenteritis at the Port Mourant Hospital. At the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) dozens of children, mostly infants, were succumbing to the illness every week. Dr Bahadursingh only lost three patients, one of whom had arrived at the hospital in a critical state.