Getting to know the people of Cane Grove
Raymond Aziz, a resident of Virginia, Cane Grove, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, is father to two children.
Years ago, Aziz migrated to Trinidad and Tobago to seek employment and after saving some money, he returned to Guyana. Now settled in Cane Grove once again, the 67-year-old says that he doesn’t ask for much except that he wishes to see his children, whom he has not seen since his son was five years old and his daughter was a bit younger. They are now living in the United States with his wife who, Aziz claims, migrated without his knowledge while he was in Trinidad and Tobago.
Aziz, who was a medic in the army, retired after serving eight years because he fell from a truck while working and injured his back. As such, he has a pinched nerve and is walking with the aid of a cane.
When the Pepperpot Magazine met him he was on his way to get a massage from a fellow villager, a short distance away since he was experiencing intense pain.
Aziz disclosed that while growing up he attended the Cane Grove Anglican Church School and obtained his College of Preceptors (CP) certificate and moved on to the Government Technical Institute (GTI) where he was successful in mechanical engineering.
The elderly gentleman reported that he later joined the Nursing Council and become a trained male nurse and sometime after gained employment in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) as a medic.
He served in mostly interior locations in Guyana and it was during his tenure as a medic he fell off a truck and was injured.
Aziz also suffered a stroke which has left him walking with a limp and has to use a wooden cane for support.
The senior citizen lives alone and he is dependent on an aunt for his meals and his neighbours and the community would lend a helping hand from time to time.
“Hadn’t it been for the villagers and this community, I would go hungry most days but they support me and I am grateful for that,” he said.
Aziz told the Pepperpot Magazine that whatever time he has left he would like to be reunited with his children, at least once.
When he was told he can search for them via Facebook, he was reduced to tears and after some time, several of the names he provided showed up but after all these years he could not recognise his children who are now grown.
The patient’s waiting area
Aziz said his daughter is Michelle Aziz and his son is Michael Aziz, the last names he knew they had and they migrated and are apparently living in Long Island, New York.
“It is my last wish to see my children and I don’t know if that is even possible now,” he said.
The Saywah Health Centre, Cane Grove
Meanwhile, the Pepperpot Magazine visited the Saywah Health Centre in Cane Grove and met a very friendly doctor, who is in charge.
Dr. Mohan Ronald said he is not a resident doctor, but commutes daily from Supply Village to Cane Grove on the weekdays.
The Saywah Health Centre operates from 08:00hrs to 16:30hrs from Monday to Friday and has a staff of one registered nurse, one nursing assistant, one pharmacy assistant, one clinic attendant and one handyman.
Dr. Ronald reported that they have the largest clinic on Mondays for chronic disease and the patient-flow goes way into the afternoon period.
As a frontline health worker, this doctor isn’t fearful but is going the extra mile to help others through the health centre.
Dr. Mohan Ronald
“My real joy comes from helping people who are sick and needs [sic] that medical intervention to make them better once again,” he said.
The good doctor was Cuba-trained and began his career in 2016 where he started at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and went to the hinterland for a year.
“The village people are easy to talk to and they take my medical advice whenever I have individual talks with them and it shows they are willing to preserve their lives a bit longer by practising healthy habits,” he said.
The Saywah Health Centre, Cane Grove, serves villagers and patients from nearby villages as well.
Some services provided at the health centre are ante-natal, family planning, chronic disease clinic, child health clinic, out-patient treatment and care.
Dr. Ronald also does home visits to shut-ins and bedridden patients
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