President Ali commits $2M to support Seventh-day Adventists’ annual health fair

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has pledged $2 million to support the Guyana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists’ annual health fair.

The head of state announced the monetary donation on Sunday, during the opening ceremony of the conference’s health fair, business expo and family fun day, at the National Exhibition Centre in Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

“We would like to support this initiative with $2 million to help you. I know that your transportation and logistics costs will be high too, so we are going to support you additionally on this programme,” President Ali stated.

He said the government will also ensure the church is provided with vouchers or other health services that are necessary to meet the needs of the people throughout the health drive.

“I want to use this opportunity to say that through our eye-care programme, all the persons who will require spectacles, we will give you the voucher that we have to ensure that they get their spectacles,” the president disclosed.

With the National Ophthalmologist Hospital at Port Mourant Centre in Region Six now fully operational to conduct surgeries for cataracts, President Ali urged the Adventist body to submit persons’ names who are in need of surgical operations.

He also encouraged the Sabbath believers to conduct more outreaches since it is necessary for the development of a sustainable community.

“It is important to understand that the aspect of community in the church is about protecting and nurturing a human person. And that is the difference with this church health outreach, it goes beyond the physical. The church understands that the physical cannot enjoy the best life without the existence of the spiritual and the mental well-being,” the head of state posited.

Meanwhile, the Ministerial and Communications Director of the SDA Conference, Pastor Osley Edwards, stressed that it is the profound duty of the Adventist body to host events that impact lives.

“We are happy and delighted to offer this service to our communities, it is something for which we have been distinguished over the years to be able to offer health services in various forms which have not only been localised to the Guyanese community but also nationally,” the pastor said.

The health fair, business expo and family fun day saw scores of residents from communities within Central Georgetown attending to take advantage of the services being offered. These include doctor’s consultations, health screening, eye testing and glasses distribution, and dental services, among others.