CNOOC and China Medical Team donation bolsters GPHC with advanced surgical imaging system

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) received a state-of-the-art surgical imaging system, marking a new phase in medical collaboration between Guyana and China.

The 4CMOS Fluorescence Endoscopic Camera System—commonly referred to as an ICG Fluorescence laparoscopic tower—was officially handed over on Friday by CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited (CPGL) and the 20th China Medical Team from Jiangsu Province.

Dr Navindranauth Rambaran, GPHC’s Director of Medical and Professional Services, hailed the donation as a significant boost to the hospital’s capability to perform advanced liver and laparoscopic surgeries. He highlighted the longstanding support provided by the Chinese Medical Teams, noting that GPHC’s first complete set of laparoscopic equipment, acquired in the early 2000s, was also donated through this partnership.

“It signals a continued relationship with the China Medical team and the People’s Republic of China,” said Dr Rambaran. “They have supported Georgetown Public Hospital and the Guyanese patients in providing technical assistance to the China medical team and also equipment and training for our doctors.”

Speaking at the ceremony, CPGL President Mr Lian Jihong underscored the company’s commitment to “uplifting medical standards” in Guyana.

“CPGL is proud to sponsor this project and help uplift the medical standards by ensuring that more patients in Guyana can benefit from advanced surgical procedures that are safer and more effective,” he said.

Lian also thanked the Chinese Embassy for its “unwavering support and coordination,” and expressed gratitude to GPHC for its professionalism. CPGL, he noted, has established a special medical assistance fund to support vulnerable patients and continues to sponsor Guyanese doctors for specialised training in China.

Chinese Consul General in Guyana, Li Hanqing, described the handover as a “significant milestone” in medical collaboration between the two countries.

“This underscores China’s dedication to showing medical innovations and supporting Guyana skills care development,” said Mr Li.

This latest project follows an agreement established in 2024 between the Chinese Medical Team and Guyana’s Ministry of Health, paving the way for cutting-edge medical technology to be introduced in the country for the first time.

GPHC’s Head of General and Plastic Surgery, Dr Shilindra Rajkumar, expressed his gratitude for the continuing partnership with the Chinese Medical Team.

“We work with the Chinese Medical team for maybe three decades. Initially, it was just providing services then it expanded to you bringing equipment and of recent, we’ve actually had education opportunities in China for our doctors and now you’re here giving us the latest in the cutting edge of technology. For that, we thank you very much.”

Dr Rajkumar further noted that GPHC hopes to collaborate on future projects, acknowledging the hospital’s ongoing need for modern equipment.

The donation of the new fluorescence imaging system marks a significant step in improving patient care in Guyana, enabling local surgeons to undertake more complex and precise procedures.

Both CPGL and the Chinese Medical Team emphasised that this initiative is part of broader efforts to bolster Guyana’s healthcare infrastructure and ensure sustainable developments in the country’s medical services.