Special Endoscopy Team Completes Successful Visit to Montserrat

A specialist Endoscopy team had a successful visit to the island between May 6 – 27, 2025.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services made the announcement in a press release.

According to the release, the visit of the team marked a significant step forward in the delivery of local gastrointestinal (GI) diagnostic services.

Dr. Gurubasa-vaiah Manjunath, a visiting endoscopic surgeon, who has been instrumental in supporting the island’s Endoscopy Programme since 2023, led the effort..

During his visit from the 6th through 27th, Dr. Manjunath conducted a range of upper and lower GI endoscopic procedures and provided essential locum surgical coverage.

He was joined by two (2) distinguished gastroenterologists from May 22nd through 26th:

Dr. Sita Chokha-vatia; a practicing Gastroenterologist at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey, whose expertise includes geriatric gastroenterology, gastrointestinal motility disorders, and colorectal cancer screening, and Dr. Mike Mills; Consultant Gastroenterologist and Associate Lecturer at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), Jamaica.

Together with Dr. Manjunath, Drs. Chokha-vatia and Mills conducted a total of thirty-two procedures to include nineteen gastroscopies, thirteen colonoscopies, and twenty (biopsies). Twenty – three residents benefited from this initiative.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of health has welcomed the visit of the specialist endoscopy team.

Speaking of the visit, chief medical officer, Dr. Sharra Greenaway-Duberry noted that since the essential endoscopy equipment was commissioned in 2022, they have seen steady improvements in patient access to diagnostic services.

She said Dr. Manjunath’s return visits since August 2023 have been pivotal in sustaining this progress and the recent collaboration with Drs. Chokha-vatia and Mills represents a significant step forward.

She says that by reducing the need for overseas referrals, they are not only saving costs but also improving outcomes through earlier detection and treatment.

The chief medical officer said the ministry remains committed to building a sustainable, high-quality endoscopy service that benefits all residents.