Guyana outpaces global health targets – Ramsammy

– highlights respiratory care leadership
As countries around the world continue to struggle to achieve their health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Guyana is emerging as a leader in strengthening respiratory health and advancing universal health coverage. This was highlighted by Advisor to the Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, during activities held to mark Respiratory Care Week 2025.

Dr Ramsammy revealed that Guyana’s SDG Index currently stands at 66.5 per cent – a figure that places the country well above the global average, even as many developing nations fall behind on targets related to public health and access to care – alluding this progress to the respiratory care leadership being undertaken.
“Our Guyana SDG Index is far better than the global average. Among the targets the world is off track in are those for health – and that is why strengthening areas like respiratory care is so critical to our progress.”
He noted that the world remains off course in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), largely because of insufficient financing and an ongoing global shortage of healthcare professionals – particularly respiratory therapists.
“Respiratory health is critical for universal health coverage because respiratory diseases are a leading cause of death and disability,” he emphasised. “Ensuring everyone has access to preventive care, diagnosis, and treatment for lung diseases like asthma, COPD, pneumonia, and tuberculosis is essential for achieving the right to health.”

Guyana’s global standing in respiratory health
Meanwhile, Dr Ramsammy highlighted to the various officials during the meeting that a recent study by the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom found that 82 per cent of hospitals face shortages of respiratory therapists – making Guyana’s achievements even more remarkable.
“Guyana now stands as one of only a handful of developing countries with a certified, university-level training programme for respiratory therapists,” he said. “In fact, the University of Guyana is among the first in the global South – and one of the few in CARICOM – to offer such a programme with a first-world curriculum.”
He praised the University of Guyana, the Health Ministry, and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for their collaboration in launching the programme, describing it as a historic milestone for healthcare development in the country.
“These students are pioneers – not only for Guyana but for developing nations across the world. Their work will define the next generation of respiratory care professionals,” he remarked.
Ramsammy also emphasised that respiratory therapists are not confined to hospital settings. Their work extends to community health centres and outreach programmes, where they play a key role in early detection, patient education, and management of chronic lung diseases.
“Respiratory care is not just about ventilators and critical care units – it’s about prevention, education, and community empowerment,” he said. “These specialists are vital in every corner of our health system.”
He added that over the past week, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the University of Guyana and GPHC, hosted public awareness and education activities across the country to mark Respiratory Care Week. These included health outreaches, public education sessions on lung diseases, recruitment drives for future students, and advocacy for improved respiratory health policies.

Global advocacy and a call for change
Speaking from Geneva – home to the World Health Organization (WHO) – Dr Ramsammy shared that Guyana’s efforts are inspiring greater international attention to respiratory health, a field he says has been “neglected for far too long”.
“We are now paying much more attention at the WHO level to respiratory and lung health,” he said. “Guyana’s success story has demonstrated that developing countries can lead by example in building strong, sustainable respiratory care systems.”
He warned that while the world faces a US$4 trillion financing gap in meeting SDG health targets, countries like Guyana are proving that innovation, collaboration, and political will can overcome resource challenges.
“Our Government’s commitment to human resource development, to education, and to equitable healthcare is what keeps Guyana on track,” Ramsammy said. “We are determined to ensure that every Guyanese – regardless of region or income – can access quality respiratory care.”
As the event concluded, Dr Ramsammy reaffirmed that Guyana’s vision goes beyond producing trained professionals – it is about transforming how the nation views and manages respiratory health.
“This is about leadership and legacy,” he said. “Guyana’s respiratory therapy programme is not just a national achievement – it’s a regional model. We are building a healthier future, one breath at a time.”