Guyana welcomed 86 new doctors who have successfully completed their training under the Guyana/Cuba Medical Scholarship Programme.
The graduation ceremony was held Saturday at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre and saw many Government officials in attendance, including Minister of State, Joseph Harmon; Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton; Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings; and the Cuban Ambassador to Guyana, Julio César González Marchante.
Delivering the feature address, Minister Harmon urged the new doctors to commit themselves to selfless and dedicated service as they begin their careers.
He reminded that the Guyana/Cuba Medical Scholarship Programme serves as a testimony of the good relationship between the two countries.
“The Cuban Scholarship Programme continues to perhaps be the greatest area of assistance, with the Medical Scholarship Programme being the ‘flagship project’ of training and support,” the minister stated.
Additionally, Harmon acknowledged that the actual presence of Cuban doctors in Guyana, who provide medical assistance in Guyana, contribute to the overall healthcare delivery system.
The minister further highlighted that the hinterland areas are also benefitting, as there has been an increase in doctors assigned to Health Centres in those areas.
Moreover, Harmon assured that the friendship and solidarity between the two countries will continue to grow under the current administration.
Addressing the interns, Minister Norton urged the graduates to work hard to raise the quality of healthcare in Guyana.
He pledged the commitment of government in providing opportunities for them.
“The vision of the Ministry of Public Health is to make sure that all the people of Guyana are among the healthiest in the Caribbean and the Americas by the year 2020, and I know that together we can make it happen,” the minister told the graduates.
In his remarks, the Cuban Ambassador highlighted the importance of a solid relationship to be maintained between Guyana and Cuba.
He said that the Guyana/Cuba Medical Scholarship Programme is a reflection of the solidarity between the two countries: “Only in solidarity will we be able to face the significant challenges we have at present and to achieve a better world that is totally possible.”
Following the ceremony, the interns were required to take the Hippocratic Oath which was administered by Minister Cummings.
Over the last ten years, 700 doctors have graduated from the Guyana/Cuba Medical Scholarship Programme.
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