– President says Brazilians also coming to Lethem to access medical treatment
– reveals son’s accident during visit, but access to better health services ensured quality health care
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has been on a countrywide drive to improve healthcare, so much so that in one particular region: Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo), Brazilians from over the border have been coming to Lethem to access medical treatment.
This was revealed by President Dr Irfaan Ali, during the course of the weekend, where he also participated in the opening of Rodeo 2025.
President Dr Irfaan Ali and his elder son Zayd, while on a visit to the Lethem Rodeo
According to the President, this is even as the Government has more plans in store for the region, such as for a $6.5 billion Lethem Regional Hospital.
“As we were going across this region, we heard about all the stories of how health [care] has improved. Of how the health services would have improved in every community and here also in Lethem. And we’re also going to build a modern health facility in Lethem and upgrade all the clinics,” President Ali said.
“But we also heard from Brazilians, who are visiting for rodeo, about how they are coming now also, to use our health facilities. Because of the enormous improvement. You heard about the availability of medication and medical supplies, that was at an all-time low in 2020, is now at an all-time high. And I really want to commend the regional health officer (RHO), the nurses, the doctors, REO (Regional Executive Officer) and all the staff. Regional Chairmen. Entire apparatus.”
According to President Ali, ensuring that the people have quality healthcare and education, regardless of their location, is a core principle upon which the PPP/C Government operates.
This includes the first family, as President Ali recalled a recent experience involving his eldest son, Zayd.
“I want to give you an experience as a father and as a parent, you always want what is best for your children. You want to know your child will be taken care of. I’ve been listening at other meetings, about the mobile units, mobile digital X-Rays, eye care examinations. Casts on fractured limbs. We’ve been talking about that all day yesterday.”
“And last evening, as we completed our final meeting and I got back to where I was staying, I saw my wife looking very frantic. And I heard my son, who is visiting the region with us, crying. When I went, she told me he fell in the shower and hit his shoulder and obviously, he was in a lot of pain.”
The Head of State noted that as parents, they were very concerned. But while they weighed their options, the REO Karl Singh and RHO Dr Cerdel McWatt, were able to arrange quality medical assistance without them having to leave the region.
“Like any other parent, we were very concerned. And (my wife) was saying, what do we do now? Do we have to take him back to Georgetown, in the night? And I called the REO and RHO and like they do for every single village, the same unit.”
“The same ambulance, with the same digital X-Ray, with the same facilities that go to all of the communities, that same facility came here to look after my son. They did the digital X-Ray. Within seconds, they had the X-Ray sent, like they would do for all the communities, to the doctor in Georgetown.”
According to President Ali, they were able to receive a diagnosis within minutes through telemedicine, a core component of the PPP/C Government’s new and improved healthcare systems.
“Within minutes, they had the full consultation and reading, because of the telemedicine part of things. They knew exactly what needed to be done, because he had a fractured bone. And right there, in that mobile facility, they were able to fix his hand in the necessary cast. And he’s still here in Lethem.”
“Thank you to the doctors, the investment, the care, the love of the doctors and nurses and all those in the hospital, that as President, I felt very comfortable as a father that I could have trusted this investment and our medical care,” President Ali added.
The Guyana Government has been enhancing its telemedicine initiative, to transform it into a world-class system integrated with international healthcare providers. The move forms part of the Government’s holistic efforts to modernise the healthcare sector through technology.
As of February 2025, 84 telemedicine sites were in operation, particularly in hinterland communities. These sites are equipped with audio and video technology and integrated medical devices that enable clinicians to evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients remotely.
