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– as moves are made to strengthen tiesIt was an interactive atmosphere complemented with welcoming smiles and meaningful conversations, when individuals, mainly of a medical ilk, gathered at the residence of the United States Ambassador, D. Brent Hardt, on Friday evening.The occasion was a reception in honour of the members of the Howard University Hospital Medical Association (HUHMA) who are currently in Guyana as part of their 21st Annual Collaborative ScientificFrom left: Dr Phillips Omohundro of HUHMA, Ambassador D. Brent Hardt and Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud converse with each other.Medical Mission. The group arrived here last week with a plan to focus on current research on diabetes, hypertension and other healthcare-related issues, and comes as part of a Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme. In fact it was designed to interact with the Guyanese medical community and discuss the healthcare issues in both countries.Ambassador Hardt in brief remarks to his guests, spoke fondly of Howard University, which he noted is located in the heart of the United States capital – Washington D. C. The university was founded in 1867 and is one of the historically black universities in the US.Among the distinguished alumni are: the first African-American governor of a US state (Virginia) L. Douglas Wilder; Nobel Laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison; Emmy Award-winning actress Phylicia Rashad; actress, producer and director Debbie Allen; attorney, civil rights leader and Wall Street executive Vernon Jordan; former mayor and United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young; and the first female mayor of Atlanta, Shirley Franklin.The University was also graced by the likes of the late US Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, who famously argued the 1954 ‘Brown v Board of Education’ case that ‘separate but equal’ was unconstitutional. According to Ambassador Hardt, this landmark decision is cited as a turning point to civil rights movement in the 1960s which led to the emergence of Dr Martin Luther King Junior and ultimately the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1965.And there was one among the guests on Friday evening who claimed to have marched with Dr King and was even imprisoned too, a disclosure that evoked much chatter and provided the evening with an even more interesting atmosphere.Ambassador Hardt pointed out too that it is rather fitting that the reception was being hosted at the beginning of the Dr Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, which is being celebrated in the United States.“We will have an opportunity on Monday to join this distinguished group in celebrating Dr King’s life and his courageous work to ensure that our country lives up to our founding ideals and values…I look forward to joining you as a moderator on that on Monday,” said the envoy of the planned celebration.The envoy (at far right of photo) addresses his guests.He pointed out though that without the work of Justice Marshall and other Howard alumni such as civil rights activists Stokely Carmichael, history could well have taken a different turn.And since Guyana has over the years been able to have a place in the global sphere, a few sons of the soil are also named among the Howard University alumni. Among them are: former President Dr. Cheddi Jagan and Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon.“Howard University is indeed a special place that has made and continues to make an impact on the world through its talented, diverse and distinguished alumni,” noted Ambassador Hardt, as he continued his deliberation on the purpose of the Medical Association’s visit here.They are joining more than 150 health care professionals to share information on best practices with a view of improving the quality of health care in Guyana and other parts of the Region.Ambassador Hardt, though not a medical doctor himself, has always had a passion for the area of health. In fact, soon after being sworn in as Ambassador in August 2011 he led the World Heart Day activities, together with the local Minister of Health, and has also been very involved in countless HIV/AIDS and countless President Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) programmes, which are in fact among the biggest United States-funded projects in Guyana.According to Ambassador Hardt, involvement of American groups and organisations such as Howard University, in Guyana, can help to bolster some of the extraordinary partnerships that have been built between the United States and Guyana in the health field.  He pointed out that “a decade of cooperation between our countries has demonstrated the tangible difference that partnerships can make,” the envoy said. He noted that the PEPFAR model, which is predicated on strong collaboration between Government and non-Government institutions, has really been instrumental in boosting Guyana’s response to the AIDS epidemic.Moreover, he stressed that “a disease that was once a death sentence in many parts of the world is now treatable, our partnerships with NGOs have allowed for rapid expansion of voluntarily counselling and testing facilities, so most Guyanese can easily know their status; treatment for pregnant women to prevent mother to child transmission has really been one of the success stories of the PEPFAR programme.”Ambassador Hardt noted that the general successes of the PEPFAR programme have in fact allowed for the United States Congress to unanimously renew funding for the programme even as she added that “we all know that the US Congress does not unanimously renew many things,” evoking another bout of laughter from his attentive guests.According to him, President Barack Obama’s signing of the PEPFAR Stewardship and Oversight Act of 2013 of the United States serves to reaffirm commitment to the global struggle to eradicate HIV/AIDS.Added to this, Ambassador Hardt noted that the focus of the medical exchange on primary health care and non-communicable diseases is also timely and relevant since even as strides are being made to address communicable diseases, NCDs are emerging as a leading threat to people in Guyana throughout the Caribbean and in US as well.“Understanding the behaviours and habits that contribute to the high incidence of NCDs and developing strategies to alter these kinds of behaviours to foster healthier lifestyles is certainly one of the most urgent challenges facing the health care practitioners in this Region and in the US,” said the Ambassador.He expressed confidence that through exchanges such as is being realised between Guyana and Howard University “our countries can continue to strengthen our professional relationship and advance that goal.”He explained that “one of the fundamental ties that bind us and in fact all people in the world is the common desire for good health and affordable and effective health care and a better and healthier future for our children.”As such, the Ambassador on Friday saluted HUHMA for its commitment towards this end and for sharing its time and expertise to build what he described as “a very innovative people-to-people partnership” between the United States and Guyana.