Health truck in the Savannas once again with MoH support.

The Rupununi Partnerships for Health (RPH) project is once again using collaboration to bring critical services to remote Guyanese villages. Pictured here is the RAM truck departing yesterday for three days of outreach to villages including Baitoon, Katu'ur, and Potarinau.

With dental and medical staff from the Ministry of Health, UK based medical volunteers and a crew from RAM Guyana, a truly comprehensive education and service package is in action. Supported in part by the CDC as an HIV prevention project, the strategy is to maximize every transportation dollar, offering other key services while fighting the stigma associated with HIV in the interior.

The new additions for this trip are the high speed dental drill, suction and coolant system on board along with 8'x8' clinic tents for patient privacy and HIV testing.

Medical volunteers from Guyana and abroad are encouraged to apply to volunteer with the RAM health truck.

Successful Evacuation.

Only the specially equipped six seater Cessna is capable of hauling out the five adult males and their baggage as in today's flight. Pictured is blood on the floor of the RAM aircraft after the injured were lifted into the back of a taxi for the dash to Georgetown public hospital.

Emergency evacuation of motorcycle accident victims.

The RAM aircraft was once again called into action today as two trauma cases were rushed to Georgetown for surgical intervention. Both patients received fractures and multiple lacerations in a motor-vehicle accident in the Lethem area. A third and unrelated patient from Fairview village was also transported suffering from an ulcer in his nose accompanied by a nurse from Lethem Regional Hospital.

Labaria snake bite at Yurong Paru.

This morning an urgent call came in over the HF radio. A 51 year old male teacher from the village of Yurong Paru had been bitten repeatedly by a deadly snake. After contacting the the Ministry of health to confirm the case, arrange a flight nurse and load up 25 boxes of medical supplies for the village, we were off.

The village is located deep into the Pakaraima mountains and accessible seasonally usually taking days by ATV.

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Emergency medicine in the Pakaraima mountains

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Year in Review Photo Highlights

Dr Gan Maddiwar screening patients at Kato village in Region 8 for the RAM General Surgery mission in Lethem during October 2010.

 

Dr Maddiwar using the RAM Aircraft as an exam room at the Karukabaru airstrip in the Pakaraima mountains.

Please consider supporting the work of RAM Guyana - these programs are only possible with your involvement and contributions.

[this post under construction - we've got thousands of photos to sort through]

RAM parachutes into remote Haiti... on Twitpic

Americans just parachuted to a village not reached since #hai... on Twitpic

Pic posted by Ann Curry of NBC News.

Annual Inspection complete!

It's been a busy and hectic year and we're up and running in 2011.  We just completed a 'fresh' annual inspection on N6HQ.  Test flight completed yesterday evening at Ogle with all systems running well.  This was the first year we have an FAA certified IA (mechanic) in Guyana who is authorized to sign off the annual on a November registered aircraft. Thank you Mr Ramsukh. 

Busy Sunday

Emergency flight early to Aishalton for a stabbing case - the wound is 3 cm from the spine of the patient. Had to navigate through a low cloud layer over the Lethem area adjacent to the Kanuku mountains which made for a memorable site indeed but required a home-made instrument approach on the way home.

Back in time to help the RPH team set up the dish and projector screen at the Brazilian restaurant for the grand drawing of the 'test your team' HIV tournement at halftime of the WC Final.

Thank you to Mr. Carlton P. Beckles of the Guyana Football Federation for coming out to officiate the Grand Drawing. During the world cup promotion we more than doubled our previous monthly VCT record thanks to positive peer pressure and the grand prize from Coulors on Robb Street.



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Parikwariwaunau young lady wins complete CONVERSE outfit from Colours.

Although she has yet to be notified in person and remains anonymous we do officially have a winner!

Special thank you to Mr. Milton Bradford, Managing Director of Colours who generously came on board the 'test your team' promotion to provide an innovative incentive for health awareness in Region 9. With the main store located at 70 E Robb St in Georgetown, Colours is the official national distributor of the Converse apparel brand in Guyana.

The lucky winner will pick her own outfit from the showroom and be looking sharp with new gear valuing over 30,000 guy dollars. Her name was picked out at random by our GFF representative, Mr Carlton Beckle from among hundreds of of 'contestants' who became eligible by taking an confidential and free HIV test with Remote Area Medical.


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Three emergency patients from Wichabai to Ogle on Saturday.

Responding to a Rupununi emergency from Georgetown does happen from time to time as we are occasionally in the city for meetings or maintenance on the aircraft. On saturday nurse Fiona Johnny (originally of Karasabai) served as the flight nurse when we picked up an appendicitis case, a snake bite (labaria), and an young man with a painful abdominal mass all from the South Central airstrip. With the current level of high water, vehicle transportation is all but impossible in many parts of the region.

The RPH 'test your team' promotion enters it's final week.

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April 2010 - File photos

March 2010 - File Photos

Feb. 2010 - File photos

 Photos from top to bottom:

1. A teenage cancer patient flown home to Paramakatoi village; 
2. Mashramani float parade with Lethem hospital; 
3. Two centrifuges provided to Dr Lucy Spellman and the Karanambu vet program; 
4. The RPH team preparing to depart for the deep south of the Rupununi with Eye care Guyana in partnership.

RPH links with women's health program and MOH to demonstrate health team in Yupukari.

A team including doctors and volunteers from Guyana, North Carolina, Minnesota, and Oxford University loaded onto the RAM Bedford truck, pictured above departing Lethem Public Hospital, to provide HIV testing and education services along with a multi-disciplined medical clinic.

Activities included:

• Village council meeting
• Community-wide 'edutainment' event including video presentations.
• Confidential HIV testing and counceling
• GYN services including pap smears and pelvic exams
• General Medical clinic
• MOH administrative review of village health post.
• 'Marundoi' listening and review session with primary school.
• Documentation of special-needs children.

The RAM women's health team had a full schedule with a couple of 14 hour days at the Lethem clinic and following the Yupukari mission an early departure to the Upper Mazaruni district of Region 7.  Using the organization's aircraft and boat assistance from the Kamarang Hospital, they were able to follow up with previously screened women in every community for the prevention of cervical cancer.