Guyana, China renew medical cooperation with new agreement

Guyana and China on Tuesday reaffirmed its longstanding cooperation in the health sector with the signing of a new agreement aimed at enhancing medical training and support. The Protocol on the Dispatch of the Chinese Medical Team to Guyana was signed by Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Yang Yang, and Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony at a formal ceremony in Georgetown.

The focus of the new protocol is on advancing the training and development of Guyanese doctors while maintaining support for healthcare delivery across the country. Ambassador Yang highlighted the longstanding nature of the cooperation, noting that Guyana was the first country in the Caribbean to receive a Chinese medical team. “Over the past 32 years, China has dispatched 20 batches of medical teams to Guyana, consisting of 295 medical professionals,” Ambassador Yang said. “These teams have served a combined total of more than 11,000 working days, treated nearly 1.31 million patients, saved over 30,000 critically ill individuals, and performed more than 70,000 surgeries.”
She reaffirmed China’s dedication to improving the health and well-being of the Guyanese people, adding that the medical teams have earned widespread praise for their professionalism, work ethic and commitment.
Meanwhile, Minister Anthony expressed appreciation for China’s consistent support of Guyana’s health sector, especially in areas such as infrastructure, equipment donations, and collaborative health programmes. “China has stood with Guyana for many years,” he said. “We look forward to further deepening our cooperation and continuing to build a resilient and effective healthcare system.” He also acknowledged the importance of the protocol in supporting Guyana’s efforts to train and retain skilled medical personnel and praised the Chinese medical teams for their dedication and service.
Diplomatic relations between Guyana and China were formally established on June 27, 1972, with Guyana being the first English-speaking Caribbean country to do so. Since then, the two nations have expanded cooperation in a range of sectors, including infrastructure, education and public health, fostering greater cultural and economic ties.