Guyana’s Healthcare Workers witness advanced robotic arm demonstration

Guyana: At the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Trinidadian Robotics dealer, AA Laquis conducted a very thorough demonstration of one of the company’s most recent innovations, ‘Freehand’ on July 15, 2022 (Friday).

This activity was made possible through the British High Commission’s Department for International Trade.

This new technology has the capability of mastering surgeon vision due to a stable and tremor-free camera image, increasing safety for team and patient by reducing the risk of cross-infection, increasing surgeon control, and reducing the surgical time by up to 20% and optimising ergonomics.

The Freehand robot is applicable to general, urological, gynecologic as well as thoracic surgeries.

If this innovation is pursued by the Ministry of Health, Guyana will be the first country in the Caribbean to incorporate this technology into the public health system.

At the end of the demonstration, doctors present were allowed to practice and get a clearer understanding of how the robot works.

Earlier, The Ministry of Health (MOH) received a donation of a quantity of Midwifery Kits, Infants Care and Obstetrics Packages from the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) to better enhance maternal and child health services across the board.

The donation was financed by the Canada Global Affairs Project and aimed to improve the health of adolescent women across the ten administrative regions of Guyana.

Meanwhile, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony expressed that the donation is a timely one which will help to enhance the programme delivery. The Minister highlighted that one of the focuses of the Ministry is health promotion engagement among adolescent girls to reduce teenage pregnancy while empowering them to make the right decisions.

“This is something that the Ministry, in collaboration with other government agencies, has been working on. We want to provide better services at every Health centre; this is to ensure that they are properly equipped with the necessary instruments and materials”, Minister Anthony stated.

He explained that the programme is- going and the provision of equipment will boost the initiative.