Newsroom April 26, 2005, Toronto, ON – The four North York General Hospital nurses who undertook a humanitarian mission to Guyana say it was a life changing experience. Providing medical relief on the front lines to the victims of the January flood presented both challenges and opportunities. The torrential rains caused serious flooding and more than 200,000 were affected. The flooding also impacted basic services including sanitation and health care delivery. Some of the nurses saw diseases they haven’t seen outside of their nursing textbooks. It also presented an opportunity to feel they were really making a difference because the patients, staff, physicians and other volunteers in Guyana were all extremely grateful for the relief. They have also come back with the hope of establishing a nursing exchange program with Guyana in the future since they found the skills and expertise they brought were very much appreciated. All four nurses say the thing that really struck each of them was that although many of the Guyanese lost so much, they were all very grateful and upbeat. Also, considering the lack of resources they have compared to us, their creativity was very impressive. For example, they reuse and sterilize equipment that we frequently throw away. Lorraine Annamunthodo, a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), was in Guyana the first week of February 2005, very soon after the flooding. Lorraine worked in the interior of Guyana on a mobile unit with four nurses and a doctor. The unit treated people wherever it went, moving east where the flooding had been worse. In those early days, staff treated about 200 to 250 people a day. Lorraine worked in rain boots and rain slicker in the heat and rain. She saw problems like fungus, ringworm, scabies and vaginal infections from the people walking through the high flood waters that were contaminated by sewage and dead animals. The truck would set up a clinic for a day wherever possible, sometimes on people’s porches if they could provide some shelter from the rain. “Most memorable for me was the positive attitude of the Guyanese who have so little and lost everything in the floods,” says Lorraine. “I came away with the good feeling that what I did helped to stop the spread of disease and saved lives. I would do it again in a heartbeat.” In late March 2005, another three nurses also went to Guyana to provide medical relief: Serina Welch, Telemetry; Brenda Hall, Day Medicine, and Emily Steele, ICU. They each spent a few days providing relief at the Enmore Medical Clinic and at the Georgetown Hospital. “It was a different experience for me working in the Emergency department there because I’ve worked in Intensive Care for quite a while. The smiles when you stopped to talk to people were special,” says Emily. “Their appreciation and good attitude will stay with me. It gave me a greater appreciation for what I have.” Serena chose to work in Emergency to experience the difference. “Being on the front lines, you get a feel for the people and place. The work was interesting, busy and challenging, according to Serena, because nurses there do things nurses here don’t, like minor procedures such as sutering.” We also enjoyed spoiling the children and took them small presents, like bubbles, pens and markers, Serena added. “Guyana is a beautiful country with forests and we saw why it is called the land of many water.” Brenda found she did a lot of teaching and counselling with patients because many come to the clinic everyday with high blood pressure and diabetes. Brenda too was struck by the quality of care. Personal care assistants in Guyana have some skills that registered nurses do not have. “I felt I gained more than I gave. We made a difference and patients and staff were so appreciative,” says Brenda. The team also brought with them many supplies donated by the medical and local GTA community, which was gratefully received and very welcome. They delivered these supplies to the clinic, the Georgetown Hospital, an Adventist hospital and the Guyana Ministry of Health. The generosity of the medical community allowed them to take handwash, virox wipes, gloves, gowns, masks and over the counter drugs. Brenda’s family paediatrician emptied her office’s shelves of baby and children’s milk formula and other supplies. They took also took toys and children’s clothing. A North York General Hospital volunteer donated 20 pieces of children’s clothing and a friend of Brenda’s made 25 little dresses that were donated to an orphanage who care for children 0-7 years of age. For more information, contact:
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