Police, Hope for the Nation Foundation host medical outreach

– in Onderneeming

Officers attached to Police G Division (Essequibo Coast and Islands), along with members of Hope for the Nation Foundation, hosted a medical outreach on Saturday, in the village of Onderneeming Sandpit on the Essequibo Coast.

More than 400 persons, including babies, benefited from this charitable venture.

The day’s activity included the offering of medical examinations and assistance to those present at the outreach, as well as the distribution of clothing and food materials to villagers of the Onderneeming Sandpit area.

Leading the medical team was Doctor Sinclair Quasi, who said his team was particularly targeting persons suffering from hypertension and diabetes. The team consisted of a number of doctors, nurses and paramedics who offered medical examinations, diagnosis and advice to those present on Saturday, with the more serious cases given referrals to the Suddie Public Hospital.

Speaking at the event was Police Commander Stephen Mansell, who expressed delight in the partnership with the Hope for the Nation Foundation to assist this community. The Commander indicated that the Onderneeming community was selected, owing to its vulnerability and the need for such medical assistance. Hope for the Nation Foundation Secretary Otillo Pereira was also present at the event and noted that the non-profitable organisation was aiming to aid those communities that were most in need. As such, the organisation was pleased to partner with the Guyana Police Force in this effort to assist residents of Essequibo.

Pereira noted that the Foundation has partnered with Cross International from Florida in order to ensure the continuation of similar charitable initiatives. The Hope for the Nation Foundation, which is one year old, has made valuable donations to several Ministries in Guyana with the most recent being a donation of over $40 million to the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry. The Public Health Ministry and the Social Protection Ministry have also benefited from the works of this organisation.

The medical outreach and distribution of materials to residents of the Onderneeming area is in keeping with the Guyana Police Force’s efforts to improve its relationship with communities within the Division. Given the success of this one-day outreach programme, the organisers of the event are set to explore further partnerships to expand and continue such efforts. As such, similar initiatives are currently in the pipeline to reassure the residents that they can rely on the Force to ensure their protection and safety. With that, the outreach will be adapted as a pilot project with the feeding programme to be established as a continuous venture.

Moreover, persons present at the outreach were offered the opportunity to register for a skills training programme to tackle cases of unemployment prevalent within the region. Available at the outreach were application forms to enrol either at the Essequibo Technical Institute (ETI) or at Zara Police Training Centre, where residents will benefit from computerised training and capacity development.

The beneficiaries of this initiative were expressive in their appreciation to the Guyana Police Force and the Hope for the Nation Foundation for their kind gesture and much-needed assistance.