APNU’s MP lauds Govt’s partnership with Mount Sinai to transform local healthcare sector

…as House clears over $2B for int’l collaborations, other initiatives

Parliamentary lead for the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Opposition, Terrence Campbell, has commended the Guyana Government on its partnership with the United States-based Mount Sinai Health System to enhance local healthcare delivery and services.
“I want to congratulate the Minister on the partnership with Mount Sinai, and particularly in relation to oncology. And I hope that there is something there in terms of prostate cancer, having been treated at Mount Sinai for prostate cancer successfully so far,” Campbell stated in the Committee of Supply during Friday’s consideration of the Budget Estimates for the Health Ministry.
This praise was acknowledged by Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, who went on to highlight the significant advancements made over recent years regarding oncology services in Guyana.
According to Dr Anthony, “…three years ago, we didn’t have a programme where people could be routinely screened. So, we have put that in place, so now men can go and get the PSAs (prostate-specific antigen test) done… If it’s elevated, you can now go and get a biopsy done.”
This early detection, the Minister explained, is important given that prostate cancer is the leading type of cancer among men in Guyana.
“Over the last year, we did close to 600 biopsies, and about 400 or so were positive. So, those men were able to come into care earlier. So, it’s going to make a difference, because…if we catch it early, we’ll be able to treat people and prevent them from dying from prostate cancer. And that’s the objective of the Ministry,” Dr Anthony stated.
Similarly, the Health Minister added that progress has also been made as it relates to cervical cancer treatment in the country. He revealed that the Ministry has changed the vaccines used to treat human papillomavirus (HPV), which can lead to cervical cancer.

“We have switched from a quadrivalent vaccine to a 9-valent vaccine, which is the best right now on the market, because it targets nine different strains of HPV that would cause cancer… If you have to get that vaccine in the US, it would cost you about US$360. You’re getting it here in Guyana for free,” the Minister noted.
Dr Anthony also used the opportunity to encourage parents to ensure that children between the ages of nine and 15, both boys and girls, get their HPV vaccinations to prevent the development of certain types of virus-causing cancer.
“In boys, there are certain cancers like penile and rectal cancer that you can get, and this vaccine can prevent that. And we’ve also seen in other countries oral cancer that can be prevented by HPV,” he stressed.
Additionally, the health Minister also mentioned the $8000 cervical cancer voucher programme that was introduced by the Government two years ago to encourage screening among females so that those with positive results can be treated.
“So, these are good things, and please encourage your constituents to make sure they benefit from [these programmes],” Dr Anthony told the Opposition Parliamentarians on Friday while he was being questioned about budgetary allocations under his Ministry.
Among those funds is some $891 million injected into continuing Guyana’s wide-ranging collaboration with Mount Sinai – a partnership that runs until 2030 and is heavily subsidised by Hess Corporation.
“Guyana is paying a small part of the fees that we have with this partnership. So, the bulk of the financing is coming from HESS,” the Minister stated.
Currently, Mount Sinai is working with Guyana on a number of initiatives in the area of primary healthcare, including the screening of close to 80,000 children in nursery, primary, and secondary schools across the country. The US-based institution is also assisting with improving the quality of care being offered at the Georgetown Public Hospital and is providing technical oversight for the implementation of the electronic health records at the GPHC.
Guyana has also been consulting with Mount Sinai on the development of the Oncology Centre here as well as providing the research work for the establishment of a neurological centre in the country and has also developed a number of clinical guidelines for hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, among others.
Meanwhile, Minister Anthony went on to disclose, under questioning by the Opposition, that the $891 million for Mount Sinai is part of a $2.1 billion budgetary allocation that was approved by the Committee on Friday. This includes some $1.73 billion for Guyana’s ongoing consultancy with Mount Sinai, Northwell Health and Ernst & Young.
Another $160.5 million for the health management information systems; $151.6 million towards various types of administrative work, such as including waste disposal service, remote security monitoring, etc.; and $108 million to host the 70th Annual Health Research Conference of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Georgetown this year were also among the spendings approved.