Chadasha and GOLI Deliver Lifesaving Cardiac Care to Children in Guyana
Chadasha, in partnership with Gift of Life International (GOLI), successfully completed another transformative paediatric cardiac collaboration at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) from August 4th to 8th, 2025. This marked the second partnership of the year and the seventh since the program’s revival in 2023, reinforcing Chadasha’s mission of Saving Lives and Building Capacity in Guyana.
For the first time since the program’s restart, the visiting team also performed interventional catheterizations in addition to open-heart surgeries, an important milestone that marks a new chapter in local cardiac care. These procedures provide less invasive treatment options for children with certain heart conditions, giving families more hope and expanding the capacity of care available in Guyana.
Over the course of five days, a 25-member international team led by Dr. Rodrigo Soto worked alongside local physicians, nurses, and support staff to perform 11 paediatric cardiac catheterizations and 7 open-heart surgeries. These procedures directly benefited 16 children living with congenital heart disease in Guyana. The collaboration also included 80 patient screenings, ensuring that children in need of urgent intervention were identified and those not requiring further treatment were reassured.
By August 13th, 15 of the 16 children had been safely discharged, with the remaining one expected to return home in the coming days.
A Journey of Hope and Progress
According to the GOLI team, since the program’s restart, the cases being treated have become more complex. This reflects both the growing trust of families who are bringing children forward for evaluation and the strengthened capacity of the joint local–international team to take on increasingly challenging conditions.
Chadasha and GOLI’s paediatric cardiac program first began in 2015 and, between 2015 and 2018, reached more than 150 children through life-saving surgeries and catheterization procedures. After being paused for several years, the program was revived in 2023 with a renewed focus: combining surgical interventions with skills transfer and capacity building for Guyanese healthcare professionals.
Since then, the collaborative teams have performed over 50 open-heart surgeries and 20 catheterizations, while continuing to provide hands-on mentorship to local staff. With three trips scheduled per year beginning in 2023, more children now have access to specialized cardiac care without having to leave Guyana.
Building Local Capacity
Currently, no hospital in Guyana offers specialized paediatric cardiac surgery on its own, underscoring the importance of these international collaborations. But Chadasha and GOLI are working to change that.
Each programme is designed not only to treat children but also to empower local professionals. To date, 30 plus nurses have successfully completed the Congenital Heart Disease Training curriculum, each participating in at least three programmes between 2023 and 2025. Additionally, local physicians and anaesthesiologists continue to benefit from hands-on training, case discussions, and skills transfer during each visit.
These efforts lay the groundwork for a future where Guyana’s healthcare teams can routinely perform these procedures independently, ensuring that children with congenital heart disease receive timely, world-class care.
A Shared Vision
Every trip represents a multidisciplinary effort, requiring careful planning and collaboration across GPHC departments and the international team. It is this spirit of teamwork and shared vision that makes each mission seamless and impactful.
“This partnership is about more than surgeries, it’s about transforming lives while building a sustainable future for healthcare in Guyana,” said Dr. Clint Dorion. “Together with GOLI and our local partners, we are saving lives today while investing in tomorrow.”
Trip Gallery
