NEWS RELEASE
Greater Georgetown / Guyana / January 15, 2021

UG collaborating with local and international partners to launch programme in Echocardiography

In its continuous effort to promote and provide better cardia health care to the citizens of
Guyana, the University of Guyana, College of Medical Sciences and Georgetown Public
Hospital Corporation (GPHC) in collaboration with the Institute of Health Science Education,
the University of Calgary & Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta Affiliate Program will be
launching a new programme in Echocardiography very soon.

This programme is another affiliated programme in the College of Medical Sciences/Faculty
of Health Sciences, UG. It is a Specialist (Fellowship) programme for suitably qualified
physicians leading to ASE Level III certification in Echocardiography and is scheduled for a
duration of 12 months.

Even though Echocardiography was previously available to some degree at private, for-profit
hospitals, it was not available in an accredited or formalised fashion within the public hospital
system. There were no formally trained or accredited echocardiography technologists or
cardiologists with formal echocardiography certification in Guyana, even within the private
medical sector. Therefore, there has been limited access to cardiac diagnostics in Guyana,
particularly in the public health care system. This programme is timely and necessary,
especially given the prevalence of cardiac disease affecting adults and children in Guyana.

Echocardiography is ultrasound imaging diagnostic test of the heart and associated structures
which has become routinely used in the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of adults and
children with any suspected or known heart diseases.

It’s non-invasive test with no known risks or side effects that is most widely used in cardiology
to provide a wealth of important information, including the size and shape of the heart, pumping
function (including location and extent of any tissue damage), heart valve structure and
function, and congenital abnormalities of structure and function of the heart.

On completion of this programme successful persons will be awarded a Fellowship in
Echocardiography from the University of Guyana.

Contact: Leisa Somrah,
Public Relations Officer (ag)
DECC -Public Relations Unit

With a current enrolment of approximately 10,000 students, University of Guyana (UG) has
graduated more than 40,000 students who have gone on to successful careers locally,
regionally, and internationally. The University is also a major contributor to the national
economy and to business and industry. Established in 1963 on a part -time basis with shared
space at Queens College, UG moved to its own campus at Turkeyen in 1970 and expanded
in 2000 with the addition of the Tain Campus. It now offers more than 129 undergraduate and
postgraduate programmes including degrees in the Natural Sciences, Engineering,
Environmental Studies, Forestry, Urban Planning and Regional Planning, Tourism Studies,
Education, Creative Arts, Economics, Law, Medicine, Optometry and Nursing. Also, UG offers
extra-mural classes at four locations through its Institute of Distance and Continuing Education
(IDCE). Furthermore, UG offers the opportunity for student engagement in debating; sports;
and cultural, religious, and professional activities.