15 new telemedicine sites for hinterland region – Health Minister announces

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony has made the announcement of adding 15 new telemedicine sites across hinterland and remote areas in the country.
During the launch of the Biomedical Programme on Friday, it was shared that these new sites will add to four existing sites which were piloted in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). New sites will be added in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Nine.
“While we have those four pilot sites and they’ve been doing great, this year, we’re adding 15 new sites. We’ll be putting four in Region One, four in Region Seven, four in Region Eight and four more in Region Nine so that we’re increasing that complement. We will need some technicians in the area of digital health,” Dr Anthony informed.
Government had announced an injection of some $1.8 billion for the implementation of the telemedicine programme in remote communities.
The National Telemedicine Programme was launched as a pilot project in 2022 in Masakenari ‘Gunns Village’. Currently, the telemedicine programme is also present in three other Region Nine communities – Nappi, Yupukari, and Parikawarinau. The telemedicine centres in these villages have been equipped with the requisite technological devices which give Community Health Workers (CHWs) 24-hour access to medical specialists from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). These include a digital stethoscope, pulse oximeter, infrared thermometer, blood pressure monitor, mobile ultrasound, and examination cameras.
This, according to the Minister, points towards an exciting time for new opportunities in the sector.
“It’s an exciting time to be in health because lots of opportunities, lots of new things that we have never done before, we’re now doing in the sector.”
Through this technology, medical professionals in the hinterland can connect to those on the coastland or the nearest regional hospital when guidance is needed and get real-time assistance.
Just a few days ago, the Health Minister was keen to note that there is already a difference in the quality of healthcare in the hinterland communities, as he was quoted saying, “You would see the quality of healthcare in the hinterland being transformed. And already, what it was like three years ago, you can see that difference in the investments that we’re making, not just from the Government, but also with partners like the UK, PAHO and others, who have been helping us to do this.”(G12)