The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) conducted its first Aortic Abdominal Aneurysm (AAA) repair surgery on August 27th.

The operation was carried out on an 80-year-old woman, who was diagnosed with an Infra-renal Aortic Aneurysm. The team conducting the procedure was led by General and Vascular Surgeon Dr. Carlos Martin. #GY

The safety protocols required to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic have changed the way of doing business and customer interaction for many small and medium-sized enterprises, which now need to eliminate crowding in offices and business spaces.

BrainHi, a a Puerto Rican company that is centered around artificial intelligence, is supplying more than 300 local businesses and professional offices with its automated messaging, call rescue and appointment management services.

“The pandemic and its health and safety restrictions have forced many businesses to change the way they operate and receive patients, clients, and consumers. Doctors’ waiting rooms have been turned into virtual waiting rooms, and the in-store experience is now mostly done by appointments. Many times, it is impossible to answer all calls received. That is where BrainHi’s technology comes in. BrainHi automatically texts the interested party and answers basic questions, coordinates their appointments, and establishes a virtual connection,” explained Emmanuel Oquendo, BrainHi’s co-founding partner and CEO. #Commerce #PR

Jamaica-born British doctor and civil rights pioneer Dr Harold Moody is being revered by Google Doodle on September 1, 2020.

On September 1, 1904, the then 23-year-old arrived in the United Kingdom to pursue medical studies at King’s College in London.

His life in London was marred by racism, which led him to form the UK’s first civil rights movement. #BLM #JM

Annalisa Latchman, 24, a single mother from Lima, Essequibo, Region Two, was given a new lease on life after she became the subject of a successful skull transplant operation performed last Saturday.
The surgery – a first of its kind to be conducted in Guyana – was performed by prominent Guyanese neurosurgeon, Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi, at the St Joseph Mercy Hospital. #GY

PAN American Health Organisation (PAHO) director Dr Carissa F. Etienne, speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, said while Caribbean islands have avoided major outbreaks thanks to strong political resolve and a smart mix of public health measures, “Now that non-essential air travel is resuming across the region, several countries are reporting spikes in cases.”

Two weeks ago, the Bahamas observed a 60 per cent increase compared to the previous week, while St Maarten, the US Virgin Islands, and TT (which unlike the other countries has not reopened borders) all reported a 25 per cent jump.

Cuba’s BioCubaFarma announced a joint venture with British firm SG Innovations Ltd. three weeks ago. This will give SG Innovations access to BioCubaFarma’s entire portfolio of patented medicines. #CU

COVID-19 in the Dominican Republic has claimed the lives of 1,501 people, with 12 new deaths in the last day, according to the epidemiological bulletin 153 of the Ministry of Public Health, corresponding to August 18, 2020.

1,004 new infections were also identified, for a total of 88,127 coronavirus patients, of which 29,866 are active and 56,760 people have recovered. The PCR tests processed on this day were 4,516, for a total of 331,160 performed.

THERE are concerns that the continued effects of the covid19 pandemic will severely affect the operations of regional healthcare services, as some aspects of the health sector have already been disrupted, according to director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Carissa Etienne on Tuesday.

According to a media release from PAHO on Tuesday, Etienne made the remarks during PAHO’s virtual media conference in which she said that as countries in the Americas continue to grapple with the virus, non-covid related programmes like public vaccination programmes, clinics for pregnancy care, HIV and Tuberculosis have also been affected by a shortage of staff. #LAC

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel says local scientists at the BioCubaFarma Research Centre are working towards developing a COVID-19 vaccine.

director of the centre Eduardo Martinez said that “obtaining an effective vaccine against COVID-19 is top priority for our entire science and innovation system at BioCubaFarma. We have seen today how the Carlos J. Finlay Research Institute is quickly and firmly progressing in this project.” #CU

Health City Cayman Islands will be opening a satellite medical care centre in Camana Bay to provide outpatient services. Hoping to open the facility within eight weeks, the clinical director of the hospital in East End, Dr Binoy Chattuparambil said the hospital was committed to making access to its medical services more convenient for all residents and visitors.

The main hospital in East End, founded by Dr Devi Shetty, the world renowned Indian cardiologist, will remain fully functional as Health City’s flagship location. Surgical and major diagnostic services will continue to be provided there while outpatient and follow-up care will be offered at the new location. #KY