The Health Ministry has recorded a rising number of amputation cases in Guyana and is taking steps to limit this increase.
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony made the announcement while speaking at a conference in observance of World Kidney Day on Tuesday. The Ministry is actively working to address this pressing issue through discussions with rehabilitation centres.
“We have noticed an increase in amputations among diabetic patients. This is something that, during the first quarter of this year, we want to discuss with the rehab department, internal medicine departments at different hospitals and, of course, the surgical departments, because we believe that some of these limbs can be saved,” Dr Anthony said.
Diabetes-related amputations are a major health crisis in Guyana, where the disease affects 15.5 per cent of adults, causing high rates of lower-extremity loss. The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) previously reported that 42 per cent of diabetic foot infections required amputation. The Government is actively enhancing care and training and implementing specialised foot care to reduce these numbers. Another key focus of the Ministry is improving services for patients with kidney problems. “That’s one area we want to work on. Another area is how we can enhance the services we provide for patients with kidney issues,” he added.
The Minister emphasised the importance of partnering with non-Governmental organisations (NGOs) that have historically provided dialysis services.
“Dialysis services in Guyana initially relied heavily on NGOs. We do not want to remove them from the equation; instead, we want to partner with them to expand services. In some instances, NGOs have been providing care on their own. In others, to ensure equity, we have collaborated with NGOs and provided them space to deliver services to geographically remote areas,” he said.
Looking ahead, the Ministry plans to activate dialysis chairs in six new hospitals and has already purchased 15 additional dialysis machines to be strategically placed in regional hospitals.
“We believe this expansion is necessary given the challenges faced by some of our patients,” Dr Anthony noted. In recent years, the Health Ministry has also reformed its dialysis support programme.
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
