Minister Anthony highlights rapid growth of Guyana’s medical imaging capacity

The Ministry of Health continues to aggressively expand and modernise the nation’s medical imaging landscape, driven by strategic international partnerships and a massive rollout of diagnostic technology across both coastal and hinterland regions.

Speaking at the opening of the Update on Medical Imaging in Guyana 2026 Continuing Medical Education (CME) conference, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony highlighted the profound evolution of the sector over the last few years. Addressing a packed auditorium of healthcare professionals, the Minister noted the immense turn-out as a positive indicator of the local medical fraternity’s eagerness to advance their clinical capacity, drawing a sharp contrast to past iterations of the seminar where many chairs sat empty.

Central to this diagnostic transformation is Guyana’s structured relationship with Canada’s McMaster University, which began with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed under challenging circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister Anthony emphasised that this formal partnership replaced previous ad hoc arrangements, paving the way for a sustainable pipeline of specialized medical fellowships.

“The collaboration has already seen Guyanese doctors sent abroad to train in various disciplines, including radiology, pediatrics, surgery, and vascular surgery, providing the high-level expertise needed to match the Ministry’s ongoing infrastructural boom”, he said.

Reflecting on the state of the public sector’s imaging capabilities just a few years ago, Dr. Anthony recalled a time when the entire country relied on a single functional CT scanner at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

“Outdated units at the Bartica and New Amsterdam hospitals had fallen into complete disuse, with manufacturers no longer producing the spare parts required to fix them. The Ministry has since executed a rapid turnaround of this infrastructure, adding seven brand-new CT scanners to the public health system last year alone, placing them at New Amsterdam and within each of the newly constructed regional hospitals”, Minister explained.

“At GPHC, a total overhaul is underway to replace the old scanner with a state-of-the-art model. This is being complemented by the construction of a new two-story diagnostic and surgical facility next to the Accident and Emergency department, which will house an additional CT scanner, the hospital’s newest MRI machine, dedicated digital mammography suites, and advanced urology equipment for non-invasive stone treatments.”

Minister Anthony closed his address by commending the visiting McMaster faculty for their continuous advice, creative problem-solving, and ongoing guidance in developing strategic frameworks for local breast cancer screenings. He also extended praise to the local organising teams at the Ministry of Health and GPHC for their daily dedication to reshaping patient care and elevating Guyana’s medical imaging standards to a global level.