38 new biomedical technicians to now serve in Guyana’s healthcare system

The Health Ministry has successfully concluded the first round of the Biomedical Technician Training Initiative, marking a historic milestone in the enhancement of healthcare infrastructure in the country.
This groundbreaking programme is funded by the Guyana Government and provided by Medical Aid International, a UK-based healthcare solutions provider.
A cohort of 38 persons is set to graduate from the programme, and will be certified with a City of Guild Certificate.
These newly-trained biomedical technicians are poised to make a significant impact as they join the public health sector, taking up crucial roles in hospitals across Guyana. The employment of trained biomedical technicians within public hospitals is a strategic move to elevate the standards of patient care by ensuring the proficient repair and maintenance of medical equipment throughout the healthcare system.
Each trainee has received comprehensive support to foster their professional development, including essential resources such as a laptop, a professional-grade toolkit, and access to a digital library of service manuals. These provisions are designed to empower the graduates and equip them with the tools necessary to excel in their new roles.
The initiative has received high praise from the participants, with one graduate expressing, “The course overall was very informative and structured to cater to a person who is new to learning about the field of biomedical engineering as well as a biomedical technician who has been working for years.”
The positive impact of this initiative is already evident, with another graduate noting, “The knowledge I obtained allowed me to look at and understand the equipment I handle in a different light, which then allowed me to adapt and change how I go about repairing medical equipment.”
Planning is already underway for the next cohort of biomedical technician trainees, in addition to the second phase of training, both of which are planned for 2024.
Before this, the Government had recognised that there were many instances where pieces of equipment were broken and there was significant downtime. Persons from the coastland would have to be dispatched to get them up and running again. As such, individuals were drawn from all across the country to be trained. They will be placed as full-time employees at health facilities.