Guyana EMS programme gets impressive ratings

Apr 19, 2017 News

The United States of America was propelled to a status of greatness because of the resilience of its people. Aiming for such a goal is not beyond this South American territory.
This is according to Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, as he addressed the most recent batch of Emergency Medical Technicians [EMTs] to the National Emergency Medical Service programme.
According to Ramjattan, the key factor upon which the greatness of a nation hinges, is the ability to have individuals who are skilled and equipped with the ability to multi-task.
“In America, one person could probably do the jobs of 100 people in the third world…that’s how skilled they are to the extent that they can produce,” said Ramjattan.
But according to him, “what Guyana needs to reach that level is not necessarily a stream of money coming with it…let’s say [from] a oil sector or a better gold sector, but the people who can do the job of not necessarily what they can do today, but 10 times better, and are skilled that they can rate themselves like the advanced countries of the world. That is what is necessary, and why this administration is paying attention to ensuring that you be trained.”
Training for EMTs, according to Ramjattan, is expected to continue for two or three years and even further down the road. To realise this, the Public Security Minister considered that greater efforts will be required including “greater finances, more international lecturers and that we are now trying to work out and so much more.”
He continued, “that is what it takes…a lot of us sometimes come to the conclusion that we are going to do well soon, and we are just going to have to learn to distribute the wealth. No, no, no…We have to learn through our skills and training how to generate more wealth. The generation of wealth is very important and how we generate that will come through training.”
But according to the Minister, “self initiative is important to proceed to learn more. Read and read and read, that is what will make the modern society. Don’t ever feel that those great advanced countries did it another way…that is why they are famous for their universities, colleges and schools.”
However, Chief Fire Officer, Marlon Gentle, who has been playing a major part in the EMS programme, assured that the EMS service already being offered here is not only laudable based on local recognition, but it has benefited from commendable international attention too.
According to Gentle, it was several weeks ago, during an encounter with International Assessors of the United Kingdom, that he too was able to appreciate what Guyana has in place.
The International Assessors have been involved in helping Guyana to do training and from which Guyana has procured some of its emergency equipment.
“When they looked at what is going on in the medical field in Guyana and how we stocked our ambulances, how we had our emergency communications running, they said that they could not understand that we are here in this part of the world and we are using that first world type of practice to our people’s benefit,” said Gentle.
The Fire Chief moreover emphasised his conviction that the local EMTs have at their disposal “some of the best in the medical fraternity in Guyana and I dare say further afield.”
“My association with Dr. [Zulfikar] Bux, Mr. Ron Morris, and even some of the other physicians at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation [GPHC]…has been that I am confident, and I am convinced that we have within us some of the best practitioners in Guyana who could deliver a service worthy of international comment,” Gentle added.
In fact, Gentle disclosed that the Caribbean Association of Fire Officers has also been impressed with the Guyana EMS programme and has indicated its desire embrace that approach.