Pres. Ali announces biomedical hubs to cut reliance on imported medical supplies

President Dr. Irfaan Ali has said that the government will establish biomedical hubs in Guyana to reduce the country’s reliance on imported medical supplies and improve healthcare access for all citizens.

“We are establishing biomedical hubs in Guyana to reduce our dependence on imported medical supplies,” the Head of State said.

According to Dr. Ali, these hubs are expected to play a vital role in local production of medical equipment and supplies, which will help cut costs and ensure a more self-sufficient healthcare system.

Moreover, these biomedical hubs will not only address the demand for medical supplies within the country but also serve as a springboard for future growth in medical tourism, an area that the President sees as having great potential for Guyana.

“We are laying the groundwork, incentivising private sector investment and [attract] Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the health sector,” he explained, adding, “so that we can position Guyana as an important market for medical tourism.”

Furthermore, the Head of State highlighted the ongoing transformation of Guyana’s public healthcare system, which he said is now able to offer a “wide array of services” to meet the growing population’s demands. “Each region now has a dental surgeon, with a total of 57 clinics distributed across the country,” he explained, highlighting the expanded access to dental care for all regions.

He noted, too, that the digitisation of medical records is taking healthcare into the 21st century.

Furthermore, President Ali shared that Guyana has now established more than 50 telemedicine sites, which are crucial for providing remote consultations and specialised medical services in areas with limited access.

“We have disease surveillance proactively moving in surveillance of diseases,” Dr. Ali added.