US surgeons in Guyana to perform over 50 hernia operations

While there is no shortage of expertise here to perform these operations, Dr. Rajkumar noted that resources have been a challenge.

“They [Northwell] provide the expertise and some of the materials that we were not able to source locally and we provide the patients,” Dr. Rajkumar said.

The first two days of the mission served as a clinic to screen patients and starting on July 1, the surgical operations will begin with about 20-25 patients per day.

A debriefing session on the operations will also conclude the mission followed by academic sessions with doctors at GPHC.

Vice President of Global Health Center at Northwell, Dr. Eric Cioe-Pena said they are committed to ensuring Guyanese health professionals are trained on the use of new medical technologies and equipment.

“The GPHC team here has a great vision for where healthcare in Guyana is going and the Northwell team is here as a friend and colleague to help realize that vision, to cut some corners with procurement, making sure that we can get supplies that are needed in the country.”

Meanwhile, the Vice President of the Department of Surgery at Northwell, Nathan Christopherson Vice President of the Department of Surgery at Northwell, Nathan Christopherson said they will be sharing different techniques and teaching them to Guyanese doctors.

“We have experts in Hernia repair and we have experts that have done missions like this here across the globe,” Christopherson said.

Northwell is also collaborating and training local health workers on advanced trauma life support, point of care ultrasound training and (Electrochemical Therapy) ECT training.