Guyana working to become a biotech research hub within next 5 years – Pres. Ali

As the government invests in building out a worldclass healthcare sector, President Dr Irfaan Ali has revealed that efforts are ongoing to position the country to become a biotechnology research hub within the next five years.

In health, biotechnology research focuses on using living cells, genes, and biological processes to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases. Biotechnology research also supports advances in diagnostics, such as blood tests that detect diseases early, and regenerative medicine, where tissues or cells are used to repair damaged organs.

“Our investment in the sector will also position Guyana to be a biotechnology research hub within the next five years. We’ll construct a life sciences park that will provide for, among other things, biobank storage, facilities for diagnostics, drugs, and vaccine manufacturing capabilities for clinical trials, the establishment of a tropical medicine institute, data warehouse development with analytics and AI for life sciences,” President Ali explained during his address to the nation last week.

Apart from these advancements, he underscored the need to develop a healthcare system that delivers quality service to all, noting that “in the next five years, whether you live on the coast or in the hinterland, you will be able to visit a health facility and receive first-class care, including timely access to the drugs and medical supplies you need, supported by cutting-edge technology delivered by Guyana’s health professionals who are trained right here at home.”

President Ali emphasised that, “access to health must not be on the basis of who you know, who you’re related to, or where you come from. It must be system-based, and that is what we are doing.”

He reminded that during his first term in office, his government increased expenditure in the health sector from $35.8 billion in 2019 to $133 billion in 2024.

This year, $143.2 billion was allocated to the sector.

“We expanded health care infrastructure with the commencement of 12 new hospitals, several of which are already operating. We employed over 3,000 new health professionals. We introduced telemedicine services for the first time in Guyana with over 80 sites,” he outlined.

The Head of State posited that the government is not only focused on improving healthcare infrastructure, but also on “re-engineering the entire health system along the goal of providing world-class service for every Guyanese”.

In fact, he said the government is currently developing an electronic inventory management system to track the movement and availability of supplies across the entire system.

“This will help to ensure that adequate levels of drugs and medical supplies are readily available in public health facilities countrywide, thereby minimising bottlenecks, delays, and wastage. And with this system, we will be able to track professionals who are not doing their jobs and hold them accountable wherever there is wastage, bottlenecks, or delays in the provision of these services,” the Guyanese leader said.

He added that the government is in the process of rolling out a national health records platform, deploying an electronic appointment system, and deploying AI to strengthen health services all across the country.

Already at the Enmore Regional Hospital, AI is being utilised in the imagery department.

According to President Ali, deploying AI to strengthen health services all across the country means that “every Guyanese can go anywhere in the country and receive consistent, quality care in a timely manner”.

Furthermore, he revealed that in collaboration with Mount Sinai Health System and Hess Corporation, the government will establish a modern oncology center in Guyana to enhance the cancer treatment and care. “We’ll establish a center that will be able to treat people. In the first phase, we’ll expand access to cancer screening, diagnostic, and treatment options, and in the second phase, we’ll offer advanced tertiary oncology services,” he noted.