[www.inewsguyana.com] – Representatives from the Canadian NGO, Caribbean North Charities Foundation, Pamela and Harry Harakh, handed over a generous donation of skin grafting equipment to the Burn Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Tuesday, June 30.
The Burn Care Unit was established in 2002 to increase the level of care provided to burn victims. The Unit was established thanks to the Foundation which was instrumental from inception, including the purchasing and shipment of building materials for the Unit. Since then, the Foundation has supported the Unit with funding, equipment, training and educational materials.
Charge d’Affaires of the High Commission of Canada, Robert Hart, commended the admirable work of the Foundation and stated that he was proud of the generosity of Canadians to care for persons in other countries and the strong ties between Canada and Guyana.
Mr. Harakh stated that “Canadians are generous people” and shared that the Foundation’s support came from persons all over Canada. He explained that the Foundation took a capacity building approach in its work and was fully confident in the Unit’s team.
The head of the Unit, Dr. Rajkumar, shared that the mortality rate of burn victims used to be 50% and this rate had been reduced to 17% since the Unit became operational. GPHC CEO, Michael Khan, shared that he was very proud of the Burn Care Unit and emphasized what a significant contribution the Foundation had made on the well-being of patients.
Caribbean North Charities Foundation is a Canadian NGO located in Richmond Hill, Ontario. It was founded 12 years ago by Harry and Pamela Harakh along with a few associates. Since then, they have built and equipped a critical burn unit, which has now served over thousands of patients, and provided the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation with reconditioned medical equipment donated by Canadian medical centres. The Foundation also organises training of medical practitioners in Guyana and in Canada.
Prime Minister Harper first made the Americas a foreign policy priority in 2007 with the vision of a more prosperous, secure and democratic hemisphere. Canada’s work to strengthen health promotion and health systems, through organizations such as the Pan American Health Organization, will help create healthier and safer communities in the Guyana for the long term.
The Government of Canada’s work in the health sector is buttressed by the generous Guyanese community in Canada, such as the Caribbean North Charities Foundation, and the supportive Canadian medical community, such as the forty organisations that make up the Canada-Guyana Medical Partnerships Coalition, which contribute to development efforts in Guyana.
