The 19th Chinese Medical Brigade is wrapping up its one-year tenure in Guyana, having provided medical attention to over 13,000 patients.
The team, consisting of 14 medical specialists, was stationed at the Georgetown Public Hospital and Linden Hospital since their arrival in September 2023.
Over the past year, the brigade conducted more than 200 surgeries, including several major procedures, and focused heavily on training local doctors, sending five Guyanese doctors to China for further training.
Chief of the 19th Medical Brigade, Dr. Zhao Chang Yong, highlighted the team’s accomplishments in an exclusive interview, noting that their collaborative efforts with local medical professionals resulted in the screening of 13,000 patients and the completion of nearly 2,000 procedures.
The team also organized a Surgery Week event to showcase the achievements of the ongoing China-Guyana medical cooperation.
The brigade’s outreach efforts extended to over 3,400 Amerindian residents in hinterland communities, where they provided critical services, including cervical cancer screenings.
The team’s work supported the launch of the Guyana Cervical Cancer Screening Project in partnership with the Guyanese government, demonstrating their commitment to addressing healthcare needs in remote areas.
Among the team’s notable achievements was conducting the first laparoscopic liver resection in Guyana, performed on a 49-year-old female patient with colorectal cancer liver metastasis, a severe complication affecting a significant percentage of colorectal cancer patients.
Additionally, the team carried out four complex pancreas tumor surgeries, underscoring the advanced medical capabilities introduced by the brigade.
The 19th Medical Brigade’s work received commendation from President Dr. Irfaan Ali, who met with the team in August.
The President expressed gratitude for their exceptional service and the strong health collaboration between China and Guyana.
Since the arrival of the first Chinese Medical Team on July 30, 1993, a total of 279 experts across 19 medical brigades have been dispatched to Guyana, marking 31 years of medical exchange and clinical cooperation between the two countries.