Seven Guyanese doctors head to China for training with CNOOC support

Seven Guyanese doctors have been awarded scholarships to pursue clinical and technical training in China, as part of an exchange Health Personnel Training Programme designed to strengthen Guyana’s healthcare system.

The doctors will spend three months at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, in Jiangsu Province, one of the country’s leading medical institutions, where they will be exposed to advanced surgical techniques and new approaches to patient care.

The initiative is supported by CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited (CPGL) under its Corporate Social Responsibility programme, in collaboration with the China Medical Team and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Lian Jihong, President of CPGL, said the company remained committed to supporting both education and healthcare in Guyana.

“We are very pleased that this is the second year we are sponsoring doctors to China,” he told attendees at a send-off ceremony at CPGL’s Georgetown headquarters on Monday. The first batch of five doctors completed training in China in 2024. “When you return, I hope you will remember your original aspiration, to make a meaningful contribution to your local community.”

Robbie Rambarran, Chief Executive Officer of GPHC, described the programme as an important step in building capacity.

“New hospitals and state-of-the-art equipment will all be useless if we don’t train our staff to use them,” he said. “Exposure in China will open horizons, new thinking and new cultures, and help us serve the people of this country better.”

Head of the 20th China Medical Team, Dr. Du Boxiang, also extended congratulations, calling the scholarships “a bridge of friendship” between the two nations.

Among those travelling is Dr Bibi Hussain, a general surgeon at GPHC, who hopes to advance her expertise in bariatric and upper gastrointestinal surgery.

“Our programme is in the early stages of development,” she explained. “With the skills I gain, I hope to expand our services and eventually establish a dedicated department of bariatric and Upper GI surgery in Guyana.”

Another recipient, obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Hardeo Ramdeholl, who is also the Head of the GPHC Residency Programme, said he would focus on laparoscopic surgery, a minimally invasive technique.

“Laparoscopic is the way to go for all surgeries in the world,” he said. “By improving our skills, we can reduce the need for open surgeries in Guyana and train residents in these modern techniques.”

The doctors are set to depart later this week, following the launch of this year’s exchange programme in May at GPHC.

Seven local doctors to undergo medical training in China