Harvard graduate, Kelly Hyles has been awarded the Richardson Public Service Fellowship from Harvard University.
Hyles, a Guyanese will intern at the 5G Dialysis Centre in Guyana with the aim of addressing affordability and accessibility to dialysis in disadvantaged communities.
The Richardson Fellowships provides up to three outstanding Harvard students considering a career in public service with the opportunity to spend a year gaining hands on experience with, and an understanding of, the problems their contemplated public service career would address. The award is an annual one.
Hyles, who has arrived in Guyana, has started work already and will work integrally with the 5G Dialysis team on its launch of a dialysis center in Region 10, work to establish a new dialysis clinic in Region 3, and be a leading advocate for the establishment of new dialysis clinics to help make kidney failure treatment more accessible throughout Guyana.
“This opportunity will allow Kelly Hyles to work to increase access to health services for underserved communities,” a statement from Selwin Asafa George, Executive Director of 5G Dialysis Centre said.
Hyles paid a courtesy call on Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony on Wednesday.
“Chronic kidney disease is a major public health crisis in Guyana and the cost of dialysis, as well as the limited number of centers that offer the service, makes it extremely inaccessible to deprived communities,” George stated.
5G Dialysis Centre said it is the first provider of dialysis service in Guyana and has been instrumental in working to increase the accessibility of dialysis to residents who cannot afford it.
The Center is partnering with the Ministry of Health and various hospitals to provide free dialysis service to remote regions in the country.
