The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) will launch its Retinopathy Programme on February 19.The programme will see GPHC introducing retinopathy screening and laser treatment for diabetic patients. The initiative, which is a component of the Guyana Diabetes Care Project, will be the first of its kind in the public system. It is expected to last for three years but based upon the success of the project, further planning to extend it will be considered.Consultant Ophthalmologist of the Department of Ophthalmology and Clinical Coordinator of the Guyana Diabetes Programme,Cheap Stitched Jerseys, Dr. Shailendra Sugrim, disclosed that once the programme is launched, the initial setup and planning will commence.? He said by mid-year, official screening and treatment will begin after equipment procurement, human resource training and other project details have been completed.Consultant Ophthalmologist,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, Dr. Shailendra SugrimTo enhance the programme, a screening centre will be established at the GPHC which will be accessible to all diabetic patients. Screening will be done by taking photos of the retina (eye nerve).“These pictures will then be graded and patients will be informed if they are suffering from Diabetic Retinopathy or not and if they require treatment or not,Wholesale NFL Jerseys,” Dr. Sugrim said.He stated that a laser centre will also be established at the GPHC and like the screening centre,Jerseys From China, all patients who need laser treatment will be allowed access.“This is a pioneering project as it will be the first time that the public system will be offering laser treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy.”The project has multiple stakeholders; the primary funding agencies are World Diabetes Foundation and Orbis International while the local stakeholders are the GPHC and the Ministry of Health.Diabetes is a Chronic Disease ailment which affects about 14% of the Guyanese population. It can affect the eyes and cause Diabetic Retinopathy, a condition where the blood vessels of the eye nerve (retina) become damaged and cause bleeding. This leads to blurred vision and blindness if not treated early, hence,Wholesale NFL Jerseys China, the need for screening of all patients with diabetes to identify the persons suffering with Diabetic Retinopathy and to initiate early treatment for them.According to Dr. Sugrim, “We estimate that about 19,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys,000 thousand diabetic patients in Guyana suffer with Diabetic Retinopathy and of these, about 5,000 have sight-threatening disease that need treatment.”