Patients receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) may never meet the biomedical technicians who work behind the scenes, but according to the institution, their role is essential in ensuring that life-saving equipment is functioning when it is needed most.
The hospital this week highlighted the work of biomedical technicians Kenderah Forde and Teanna Bagot, two women whose responsibilities include installing, inspecting, repairing, maintaining and calibrating medical equipment used throughout the country’s largest public hospital.
The GPHC said the work of its Biomedical Department helps ensure that doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals have reliable equipment to deliver timely and effective care while reducing unnecessary downtime.
For Forde, the journey into biomedical engineering began in 2016 when she enrolled in a Board of Industrial Training programme. Given a choice between catering and biomedical technology, she chose the latter despite having little knowledge of the profession.
“I went into it with an open mind, willing to gain knowledge and experience,” Forde was quoted by the GPHC as saying. “From the first day of training, I knew this was what I wanted to do.”
Her training was conducted at the former Leonora Hospital in collaboration with the Ministry of Health under the guidance of a Cuban instructor and combined classroom instruction with practical experience.
She said it was the technical and hands-on nature of the work that captured her interest.
“I like working with equipment, using tools, taking things apart and putting them back together,” she said. “It’s the practical side of the job that really drew me in.”
Bagot’s introduction to the profession came through a different route.
She explained that she had not originally planned to become a biomedical technician and knew little about the field before being selected through the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG) programme to participate in biomedical training offered by the Board of Industrial Training and the Ministry of Health.
“Truth be told, I wasn’t sure what the job entailed,” Bagot said. “The youth programme which I’m a part of (PYARG) chose me to participate in a Biomedical Training Programme through the Board of Industrial Training and Ministry of Health. After which I applied to the Georgetown Public Hospital and got the job as a Biomedical Trainee Technician, then on to a Biomedical Technician.”
Eleven years later, she has become one of the department’s first female biomedical technicians.
“Over the years I’ve grown to love the job and everything that comes with it,” she said.
According to the GPHC, Bagot’s work involves ensuring that medical equipment throughout the hospital remains safe, reliable and properly calibrated for patient care.
She said the greatest reward comes from knowing that her work contributes directly to better health outcomes.
“As a technician, I have the opportunity knowing that my work helps save lives, ensuring medical equipment is safe and reliable, solving technical challenges, and making a real difference in patient care,” she said. “Every repaired machine and every successful maintenance check contributes to better healthcare outcomes, making the job both meaningful and fulfilling.”
Forde echoed the importance of ensuring equipment remains operational.
“The more equipment is down, the more it affects patient care,” she said. “I enjoy getting equipment back up and running as quickly as possible because that’s why we’re here, to care for patients.”
One of the accomplishments she is most proud of, according to the GPHC, was contributing to the expansion of the Female High Dependency Unit (HDU), which increased from four to nine fully equipped beds.
“Being part of that project from start to finish was very rewarding,” she said. “Now I help ensure everything remains functional every day.”
The hospital noted that both women work in a profession that has traditionally been dominated by men and expressed hope that their careers will encourage more young women to consider biomedical engineering.
“Not many women choose this type of work, but I enjoy the technical side of it. I love getting down to business with my tools and making sure the equipment is working,” Forde said.
Bagot similarly hopes that her own experience demonstrates that opportunities exist in the field for young women willing to embrace technical careers.
Forde also encouraged prospective biomedical technicians not to be intimidated by the demands of the profession.
“Don’t be afraid of technical work,” she said. “This field is about solving problems, learning every day and making a real difference in patient care.”
The GPHC said that while biomedical technicians rarely interact directly with patients, their work forms a critical part of the healthcare system by ensuring that the equipment on which clinicians depend remains safe, reliable and ready for use.
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