Dr Singh and his wife, Dr Shirley Sit, also a pediatrician in Toronto took action immediately and set
about to build a team of like-minded professionals and supporters who shared their concerns and
committed themselves to improve the conditions with the main goal of reducing the infant mortality
rate with safer deliveries and better care for the babies…especially the premature new-borns. As a
result, they established Guyana Help the Kids Foundation (GHTK) under the leadership of Dr Singh
and set about to develop and execute a functional plan for funding the required equipment and requisite
paediatrics training for the local nurses and doctors.
Dr Singh gives credit to the invaluable and dedicated contributions of Dr Andrea Hunter, DR Lief
Nelin and Dr Cait Yeager for championing and spearheading the critically needed pediatric residency
program and the neonatal nursing program. He also commends Mr Kelly Pearce for his astute creative
initiatives in procuring, on a limited budget, the essential life-saving neonatal equipment. As well, he
graciously recognized that Terry Sawh and Mahendra Singh were relentlessly committed and dutybound
in their implacable logistical and operational support, since the founding of the organization.
Notwithstanding, GHTK ground-breaking success in Guyana could not have happened without the
unwavering support of families, friends, professional associates, the Guyanese dedicated paediatrics
team and supporting businesses together with the collaboration of partnering doctors, hospitals and
associated Canadian universities. Their contributions and support have made this
philanthropic endeavour a resounding success…to the express and specific benefit of the Guyanese
families who have benefited from this magnanimous humanitarian life-saving initiative.
In 2013, GHTK in partnership with the Guyana Ministry of health has transformed the six primary
Public Hospitals, which accounts for 90% of the deliveries in Guyana with professionally trained
pediatric nurses and paediatricians. There has been a 50% reduction in the number of infant deaths at
the Georgetown Public Hospital in the first year with continued improvement each succeeding year as
the program matured with more qualified pediatric support and better equipment facilitation.
The Pediatric Residency and Neonatal Nursing Program, under the guidance of Dr Hunter, Dr Nelin
and Dr Yeager, have to-date trained and accredited 15 Guyanese pediatricians and 70 NICU nurses to
become more self-supportive in delivering the highest level of care to the hospitals and communities in
Guyana. We all owe these commendable and kind-hearted humanitarians our deepest gratitude for their
selfless service to the people of Guyana.
The Masters of Ceremonies for the lively and exuberant Havana Nights fundraising event, Mahindra
Singh and Niluka Kottegoda, officiated a pleasant and seamless program of entertainment, music and
dancing with high enthusiasm and light humour.
Dr Singh’s passion and commitment to this noble cause was evident as he shared the success of the
GHTK program in Guyana. He provided impressive statistical data, which authenticated the dramatic
reductions of the country’s infant mortality. He then showed a poignant video of an emotionally
grateful mother who credited him, Dr, Sara Singh, Dr Winsome Scott and the amazing team of
pediatric caregivers for saving her 27 weeks premature baby who was auspiciously named Miracle.
Clearly, a fitting testimony to the remarkable achievement of this life-saving program that was
conceived and became a reality under Dr Singh’s leadership and the uncompromising support of his
Canadian and Guyanese dedicated team. He indicated that this event seeks to raise $60,000.00 to fund
30 new critically needed ventilators to replace the regional hospitals ageing equipment. I am told that
the well-organized and executed event raised $70,000.00 from the kind generosity and compassionate
consideration of the sponsors, donors, silent auction and pledges.
Dr Sara Singh specifically came from Guyana for this event and talked about her morally rewarding
experience as a practising Guyanese pediatrician at the Georgetown Hospital. She graciously expressed
gratitude for the training she received through GHTK and the critically life-saving services that are
now available to infants because of GHTK compassionate humanitarian work. Her genuine dedication
and sense of commitment to her work as a pediatrician were self-evident. She admitted that she has
found her calling and purpose to loyally serve the Guyanese people as a true patriot in her capacity as a
pediatrician.
Guyana Consulate General, Ms An Yin Choo congratulated and thanked all involved in GHTK’s
mission and expressed appreciation for the remarkable accomplishments and achievements that were
made to the benefit of numerous Guyanese children and their families. She was emotive in her
expressions about her own personal experiences as a mother and the trauma mothers go through with
the life and death risks associated with premature births.
Dr Narendra Singh gave some well-deserved recognition awards to two of his loyal and champion
supporters: Board member Terry Sawh for his unfailing contribution, support and dedication to GHTK
objectives and also to Steve Ninja, Dax Sukraj, and Tony White for embracing, and believing without
compromise, in the significant life-saving humanitarian and public service endeavours to which GHTK
members are committed.
GHTK is now in the process of developing the necessary strategy to launch a similar life-saving
program, based on the relative needs, in the Eastern Caribbean on the footprints and lessons
learned from the successful Guyana experiment. As well, they have ambitious plans to advance their
benevolent mission to reduce infant mortality… GLOBALLY
It is worth noting that these compassionate and kind-hearted expressions of selfless service and
benevolent altruistic contributions to causes that are outside the immediacy of our own families,
underscores our deep human connections with each other, regardless of race, ethnicity or beliefs. It is
indeed natural for all humans to share the same hopes and dreams to live a healthy and rewarding life
with the same fullness and joy that characterize our common humanity. Every life is precious and is
worthy of the same rights, benediction and love that we ALL seek here on planet earth.
