38 graduate from Health Ministry’s Patient Care Assistant programme in Region 5

Some 38 individuals have successfully graduated from the Ministry of Health’s Patient Care Assistant (PCA) programme in Region Five – marking another major step in the Government’s mission to strengthen the delivery of quality healthcare services across Guyana.

The newly trained Patient Care Assistants are now equipped with the skills and knowledge to provide direct, hands-on care to patients under the supervision of Nursing Assistants and Registered Nurses. Their comprehensive training covered key areas such as basic nursing care, infection prevention and control, patient hygiene, communication, and ethics in healthcare.
The initiative, implemented through the Health Sciences Education Division, continues to play a crucial role in expanding Guyana’s healthcare workforce – especially in regional and community health facilities where additional human resources are needed most.
Delivering the feature address at the graduation ceremony, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony commended the graduates for their dedication and perseverance throughout the training period, emphasising that their achievement reflects the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to build a stronger, more resilient healthcare system.
“We’ve been working to expand healthcare across the country. And while we are doing that by adding new facilities, we also recognise that achieving quality healthcare requires more people in the system,” Dr Anthony stated.

The Minister explained that decentralising training programmes like the PCA initiative is part of a broader strategy to ensure each region has an adequate number of trained health professionals, reducing the reliance on staff transfers from other regions.
“In the past, we had many people working outside of their home regions – and often, they didn’t want to relocate. So we decided to change that. We believe every region has qualified individuals who deserve access to these training opportunities so they can serve their own communities,” he added.
Dr Anthony also revealed that the Ministry currently operates around 22 different medical training programmes, with plans to expand more of these to outlying regions based on their capacity and performance.
Beyond training, the Health Minister stressed that the quality of interaction between healthcare workers and patients remains a key area of focus.
“The biggest challenge we have is how our staff interacts with patients when they come. If you’re pleasant and helpful, people remember that. But if you’re rude, they also remember – and in this age of social media, it can spread quickly,” he said, urging graduates to treat every patient encounter with compassion and respect.
Dr Anthony shared an example of a patient who recently wrote to the media praising the service they received and commending a nurse who ensured they got proper guidance and care.
“That’s the kind of feedback we want to see – stories of good service that make people feel confident in the system,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister highlighted several key advancements in the regional health sector, including 294 patient admissions, 22 births, 235 CT scans, and 43 surgeries conducted in a short period. With three fully functional theatres, he noted that the Ministry is working to expand surgical services and reduce backlogs in the region.
To further enhance accountability, Dr Anthony revealed that new electronic tracking systems are being introduced to monitor how quickly nurses and caregivers respond to patient calls.
“We’ll be reviewing those records to see how responsive staff are. Those who perform well will be commended, and for those who aren’t as responsive, we’ll find ways to improve their performance. This is all about lifting the quality of care we deliver,” he explained.
Ultimately, the Minister reiterated that the PCA graduates are entering the healthcare system at a pivotal time – one where Guyana’s expanding infrastructure and workforce development are converging to bring accessible, patient-centred care to every region.
“You’ve taken your first step into the medical field,” Dr Anthony told the graduates. “Now it’s your turn to make a difference – to show your communities that quality healthcare begins with compassion, dedication, and service.”