His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali said that his Government will use AI technologies in Guyana’s healthcare system to improve service efficiency and the management and distribution of medical supplies across the country.
During a recent media engagement, the Head of State highlighted several strides in his Government’s holistic plan to modernise and digitise the healthcare sector in Guyana to better serve citizens.
“We have to move our healthcare system to a more service-oriented care model. We’ve invested heavily in infrastructure, in modernising the healthcare system, and in developing our human capital. So the focus now must be on service delivery, reliability, and ensuring that our citizens receive the quality of care we’ve worked hard to build into this world-class health service.”
A key component of this transformation, he explained, is the upgrading of the country’s Materials Management Unit (MMU) and regional bonds. To support this, the services of Ernst & Young have been procured for policy and procedure development, including the establishment of a supply chain policy and practices based on international standards.
“This work is ongoing, and we hope that the first phase, having the MMU system go live, will be completed within the first quarter of 2026. By the second and third quarters of 2026, it will be fully integrated into a regional distribution system.”
A major feature of the modernised system will be AI-driven automation to assist with the management and distribution of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals across all regions. This level of automation, the President noted, will improve efficiency, enhance delivery, reduce spoilage and expiration of drugs and supplies, and strengthen the overall system.
President Ali added that construction of regional bonds in Regions One, Two, Six, Nine, and Ten has commenced. These facilities will serve as the physical infrastructure supporting the digitisation of the sector and the advancement of MMU operations under the Ministry of Health.
Another component of the modernisation effort is the implementation of an electronic patient health record system. The initial phase, which involves digitising patient records at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), began in March 2025 and is expected to conclude by mid-2026. Records at GPHC are anticipated to go live by the end of the first quarter of 2026, after which the system will be rolled out nationwide.
Additionally, the Ministry of Health has launched a pilot online appointment system at the Festival City Polyclinic in Georgetown.
“We don’t want the long lines you see in hospitals and clinics. We want to move to an app-based system where patients can book appointments and avoid wasting time sitting for hours. This pilot is being tested at Festival City Polyclinic, and we anticipate full implementation at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation within the first quarter of 2026, followed by rollout to all regional hospitals and clinics,” the President said.
Another key initiative is the One Health Project. The President said that the “aim is to enhance our disease surveillance, upgrade our laboratory system to a level three standard, and strengthen our human resource capacity through recruitment and training in pandemic preparedness. This is a global challenge, and every country is working to ensure they have the surveillance systems, labs, and human capital to identify and respond effectively to pandemics. We are not waiting — we are already investing in this system.”
President Ali also spoke extensively about investments in primary healthcare to reduce the risk of serious diseases across Guyana. He said that over the last three years, 25 new health centres and health posts have been built, with 10 additional facilities currently under construction.
Each centre will be fully equipped to deliver services for at least 116 medical conditions, including non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
“We are investing heavily in primary healthcare and preventative medicine through public education, early screening, and access to lab facilities and testing. This will not only create an effective system that reduces disease risk but also ensure that the next generation of Guyanese has the data and screening support needed for a long and healthy life.”
To complement this, the President highlighted the School Health Programme, which screens children in nursery, primary, and secondary schools.
“We have the Women’s Health Programme, which is expanding breast cancer screening. It is now offered at Georgetown Hospital, Linden, New Amsterdam, Suddie, and Lethem. In all these areas, we now have the capacity and capability. We’ve also expanded the cervical cancer programme, including HPV vaccination using Gardasil-9, HPV testing, and treatment.”
In addition to screening, the Government is investing in treatment for various diseases. Speaking specifically about diabetes, the President noted that hundreds of patients requiring dialysis receive support through the Government’s $600,000 grant programme. However, consultations with stakeholders revealed the need for more public dialysis stations.
To address this, the President announced that 15 new dialysis units will be operational before the end of 2025 across Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, and Ten. These will complement the dialysis stations added to six new regional hospitals.
“I think that is a tremendous improvement we are advancing in the early days of our Government.”