President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali is advancing Guyana’s capacity to deliver specialised paediatric cardiac care locally, with 17 children set to undergo complex heart surgeries at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) beginning September 28.
The initiative, which brings an international specialist team to Guyana, forms part of a wider effort to ensure that children requiring congenital heart surgery can access critical interventions without the added burden of travelling overseas.
President Ali, who on Saturday hosted the parents of the children at State House, said the initiative reflects government’s commitment to expanding world class healthcare while addressing urgent needs during the continued development of the country’s health infrastructure.
“One of the things that we promise every Guyanese is to invest in healthcare, invest in world class healthcare,” he said.
The president said the programme was developed with a clear objective of eliminating the waiting list for children requiring specialised cardiac procedures.
“I want to bring to zero, to nil, all of the cardiac, specialised cardiac surgeries required by children, by babies, toddlers, children generally,” he noted.
The first five-day surgical mission will run from September 28 to October 2, with Apollo Health Systems of India providing a specialised team to work alongside Guyanese doctors and other healthcare professionals at GPHC.
President Ali said the programme is ultimately about ensuring that children have access to the treatment they need and the opportunity to grow into healthy and productive citizens.
“This is the type of investment we are making in our children. This is the type of investment we are making to have your kids have a beautiful, rewarding future like any other child.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, explained that the decision to expand the specialist team followed assessments by Guyanese cardiologists, who identified several cases requiring a higher level of technical expertise and specialised intervention.
“We need a more, a bigger team with all these capabilities,” Dr Anthony said, noting that the complexity of some cases required additional specialists and technical personnel to be present during the procedures.
He said government subsequently engaged Apollo Health Systems, an established international healthcare provider in India, to undertake the surgeries in Guyana, allowing patients to receive advanced treatment while remaining close to their families.
“Here it is, we are bringing an entire team to Guyana and they’ll be operating using our facilities here in Guyana.”
Approximately 40 children are currently awaiting specialised congenital heart surgery.
Following the September mission, government plans to facilitate a second mission in December, targeting another 10 children.
Dr Anthony noted that Guyana’s relationship with Apollo extends beyond cardiac surgery, with the institution having previously supported training for local doctors and collaboration in other areas of healthcare.