Guyanese medical students awarded Chinese Govt scholarships

This year, six outstanding medical students from Guyana have been awarded Chinese Government Scholarships. Two of them will pursue studies at China’s top universities: Tsinghua University and Peking University.
The scholarships, focusing on healthcare and medical services, were made possible through the longstanding relationship between Guyana and China, ensuring Guyanese students have access to international educational opportunities.

The six awardees are Keron Williams, Makena Alleyne, Yudesh Persaud, Melissa Mickle, Robert Lee and Serena Rambarran.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, H.E Yang Yang, reflected on the benefits of this long-term partnership.
“Over the years, it has become a flagship initiative in China’s international educational and cultural cooperation. In recent years, nearly 100 Guyanese students have benefited from these programmes. Through these platforms, many Guyanese have pursued their studies at leading Chinese universities.”
She said that she believes these experiences could help lay a strong foundation for the students’ professional and personal development. Upon returning to Guyana, many have gone on to make valuable contributions across a wide range of fields.
She added that China’s efforts go beyond scholarships. Under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, they remain committed to supporting Guyana’s human resources development.
In 2024 alone, she stated, more than 200 Guyanese professionals took part in short-term training programmes in China, organised through both bilateral and multilateral cooperation frameworks.
“These programmes covered a broad spectrum of areas—from healthcare and agriculture to artificial intelligence (AI) and e-commerce, aligning closely with Guyana’s national development priorities and capacity-building needs. These training opportunities not only foster knowledge-sharing and practical skills but also strengthen cooperation.”
Meanwhile, she encouraged more young Guyanese to take part in the China-Guyana scholarship and training programmes, to explore China, understand China, and build lasting friendships with the Chinese people.
Looking ahead, she added, China stands ready to work with Guyana to deepen practical cooperation across various fields, strengthen mutual political trust and further promote people-to-people exchanges for shared development and mutual benefit.
“To our outstanding scholarship awardees, I encourage you to make the most of your time in China, to study with dedication, build lasting friendships, learn from inspiring mentors, and gain a deeper understanding of China. I hope all of you will become true ‘China experts’ among the Guyanese people in the years to come.”
Chief Medical Officer, Narine Singh, while congratulating the students on their awards, called upon them to return to work in medical fields within hinterland areas.
“Guyana is expanding and decentralising its healthcare services. It’s not only Region Four and the coastline; we are also planning healthcare services throughout all 10 administrative regions… so we need you to be there. We need you in all 10 regions because healthcare is not only for the people of the coastline.”
He added that he has personally seen some of the recipients come from very remote communities, and hopes that they will want to go back and serve in their communities because there are areas beyond Georgetown and Region Four that need service. He also shared his perspective on the health facilities being built, and stated that the awardees will be the new generation needed in these hospitals.
“We will need you in those hospitals. I’m looking forward to you coming back to serve—not only on the coastline but also in the hinterland. To the families and relatives of the awardees, I want to congratulate you for staying with them and staying the course. It’s going to be a difficult time for them, and I understand.”