It is with immense pleasure and pride that we advise you that the Global Health Canada $2.5 million grant with Giving Health To Kids (GHTK) and McMaster University was signed in Guyana recently. Participating in the ceremony was Dr. Narendra Singh, President of GHTK & Associate Clinical Professor at McMaster, Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana Mark Burman. Witnessing the signing are the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, Head of Cooperation at the Canadian High Commission, Jessica Teasdale and Senior International Assistance Officer at the Canadian High Commission, Gina Arjoon.
This five-year grant has been allocated by Canada to develop programs and services to increase the survival by mothers in the hinterland regions. Dr. Singh advised, “That if a mother delivers a baby in the hinterland today, the baby does not have the same chance of survival as one delivered at Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).”
The project, which was initially thought of 12 years ago, is being funded by Global Health Canada to address the inequity in the quality of maternal and childcare in the hinterland.
Dr. Singh said the under-five mortality in Guyana is “very high” and “much higher” than Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.
Actual figures, he said, show that 75 to 80 percent of under five mortality occurred because babies were dying less than 28 days old.
GHTK has a long history in working with health care professionals in Guyana, and in partnership with McMaster University were excited when the opportunity arose to make application for these funds. McMaster University has also been an integral part of the work undertaken by GHTK over the past decade and funding for this project will come through the University.
McMaster currently offers Fellowship training in several specialties to Pediatric Residents from Guyana, as well as many physicians at McMaster participate in educational training and support to the' Pediatric Residency program established by GHTK in Guyana. Currently 23 pediatricians are pursuing a postgraduate residency' program and 70 neonatal intensive care nurses have been trained.' Neonatal Intensive Care Units have been installed' in 6 hospitals in' Guyana and GPHC has moved from a level one to a level three' NICU.
None of this would have been possible without the support and involvement of the Guyanese Ministry of Health and we have shared with you the story of our work with colleagues on the ground in Guyana over the years.
As we mentioned in our January and February Updates, it is a privilege for those of us at GHTK and McMaster to continue our work in improving care for neonates and now, with the Global Health Canada Grant, to expand that work to children under five and maternal care.
Neonatologist and Board Member of GHTK, Dr. Leif Nelin said the research points to the need for all pregnant women to be examined at least once by an obstetrician at a community clinic and training staff and physicians at community health centres to conduct recommended antenatal testing and best post-partum care.
Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Mark Berman said the project would contribute to Canada’s commitment to advance the health and rights of women and children around the world including here in Guyana. “I’m pleased to be here to launch an initiative that supports Canada’s commitment to empowering women and girls and flex our government’s feminist international assistance policy, “he said.
Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Health, hailed the benefits of the grant and the previous work undertaken by GHTK and McMaster in the area of education to physicians and nurses in Guyana.
(Quotes in the above article were taken from “Demerara Waves Online News-Guyana – you can read the full article by clicking the following link:
Thank You
We will have much more to share in the months ahead as all our projects move forward and we share with you the changing role of GHTK. We remain incredibly thankful for your ongoing support and interest in what we do.
Best Wishes
