Efforts are being made to improve Guyana’s healthcare system and to make healthcare more accessible to people but President Dr. Irfaan Ali says the local authorities are also working towards making Guyana a medical destination.
He said this on Friday while he spoke at a ceremony for the sod-turning of the upgrades carded for the Suddie hospital along the Essequibo Coast in Region two (Pomeroon- Supenaam).
Already, the President disclosed that there have been proposals for cancer research and cancer treatment in Guyana. There has also been some interest in stem cell research, which involves the generation of new cells.
Overall, however, he posited: “.. (we are) working to make Guyana a health destination for health education and medical studies.”
He later added, “… to do this, we have to support private health care.”
The President related that Guyanese authorities were in “high level” discussions with the “high end” of health business. Additionally, the government has received proposals for new private health facilities.
These efforts from the private sector, he said, complement local efforts being made to advance the public health sector with upgrades like at the Suddie hospital and updating medical laws such as the organ transplant legislation.
Meanwhile, as the country strives to modernise its health sector, the President also underscored the need for intensive focus on primary health care. This includes disease prevention, health maintenance and the early diagnosis and treatment of illnesses.
In Guyana, it has been reported that challenges with the provision of primary healthcare services have contributed to the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases. These diseases are the leading cause of death in Guyana.
Cognisant of the stark reports, the President said that an “aggressive health education plan” will be launched soon. This will ensure that local capacity is built to provide a greater, more accessible level of primary healthcare in Guyana.
