Thousands reached by Flying doctors

By Partnering with health workers from the public and private sectors in Guyana, Remote Area Medical has served 3,125 patients with their airborne medical service during 2009.  A specially equipped [six-seat] Cessna 206 aircraft is based full time in Lethem to provide both emergency and outreach services. 

The numbers recorded include patients flown [in Regions 7,8 and 9] for emergency treatment, and those reached by flying doctors, medex, dentists, dentex, vaccine nurses, and HIV testers and councilors and health professionals.  Many interior villages are not accessible by road or are many hours or even days over rough terrain from the nearest Doctor.  The figure is expected to grow further as statistics from the eye care and spectacle programme are compiled.

As the primary partners, the Ministry of Health and Lethem Hospital provided the majority of the specialists to extend the health services to the most isolated communities in southern Guyana.  The schedule was established early in the year based on discussions with regional health authorities and .

To maximize the use of the aircraft a multi-discipline team typically traveled together to provide a variety of services in one visit.  The team would leave early in the day and usually be home to their families the same evening or the following day.  “The aircraft allows us to maximize the sparse human resources in the hinterland regions to reach many more outlying communities” said RAM founder Stan Brock, who has first hand experience living in the South Rupununi for many years.

While the majority of medical missions were flown in Region 9, outreaches were also conducted in Regions seven and eight.  In addition to its’ local airborne operations, RAM Guyana facilitated visits from nine medical and veterinary teams during the course of the year which provided services such as major surgery, cancer screening, and general medicine in Regions 1, 7, 8, and 9.

The work was constrained by the aircraft being unavailable due to maintenance for the entire month of December and half of November.  In 2010 RAM plans to partner further with local providers to offer not only airborne outreach programs but add a 4x4 Bedford Army truck to reach communities best served by ground transportation.