NCD commission urges publication of cancer package of service in the public sector

Dear Editor,
February 4, marks 25 years of signing the Charter of Paris Against Cancer at the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millenium. The 2025 theme for World Cancer Day is United by Unique, Guyana’s Presidential Commission on the Prevention and Control of NCDs acknowledges the unique experiences of each and every single person living with cancer and that of their families. We support and urge a comprehensive people-centered cancer care delivered jointly by healthcare providers, families, friends and community.
Guyana has made notable progress in the fight against cancer. The Presidential Commission for the Prevention and Control of NCDs commend the Government of Guyana and the Ministry of Health for measurable progress in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for cancer.
The significant increase in services for cancer at the GPHC is testimony to the dramatic increase in cancer care in Guyana. The GPHC now records an average of more than 50 new patients each month. At the end of 2024, the GPHC had 500 patients on active chemotherapy. In addition to medicines, treatment and care include psycho-social support. The number of cancer medicines in use at GPHC has increased.
The recent expansion of chemotherapy through the GPHC to the New Amsterdam Hospital is a welcome development. The Commission is aware that approximately 100 patients are receiving chemotherapy through the New Amsterdam Hospital clinic, after initiation at the GPHC. This provides relief for patients and their families.
The Commission urges GPHC and the MOH to ensure that a similar extension occurs in 2025 to Linden Hospital (Region 10) and Suddie Hospital (Region 2). In collaboration with the IAEA, four new mammography equipment have been added to the public sector. This is a significant improvement and provide an opportunity for more women to be screened for breast cancer.
The increase in capacity and capability of the new pathology lab at the GPHC adds to the early diagnostic and wider screening capability for cancer in the public sector.
The NCD Commission urges the Ministry to establish target populations for gastric, cervical, breast, lung and prostate cancers and to ensure that Guyana is achieving a target of 90-% screening of the target population by World Cancer Day 2026. This is an ambitious goal, but we must make every effort to achieve it.
Guyana has been adjusting its health care model to fully implement Universal Health Care (UHC), one of the goals of the SDGs (SDG 3). As part of UHC, we must ensure cancer prevention and diagnosis are included in the package of services at all levels of care. In this regard, we commend the GoG and the MOH for its continued consolidation of the nationwide Human Papillomavirus vaccination program and its cervical cancer screening program.
The Commission would like a similar approach of integrating within the UHC, prevention and screening programs for breast cancer, prostate cancer, gastric cancer and lung cancer.
The Commission urges the MOH to urgently formalize a childhood cancer program. With the strong evolution of an Oncology Program at GPHC, the impending opening of the Pediatric Women Hospital at Ogle in early 2026 and the establishment of a Cancer Treatment Cancer by 2028, as announced by President Irfaan Ali, the MOH must move rapidly to formalize a childhood cancer program.
The Commission is pleased to note the improvement of the National Cancer Registry and look forward for a world- class Cancer Registry.
While acknowledging the notable improvement in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care in the public sector, we cannot ignore persistent challenges. Existing cancer prevention policies and programs are not fully implemented.
We urge the MOH to publish the package of services for cancer available in Guyana today and those planned for introduction in 2025. Screening for specific cancers is low, even for cervical cancer where testing capacity has been established. For example, cervical cancer screening is less than 50% the target population. Late diagnosis, when treatment is generally less effective and costlier, is common.
While rapid improvement is occurring, like in all developing counties, national capacity remains inadequate to manage the increasing cancer burden. Urgent steps must be taken to align capacity with the growing cancer burden in Guyana. The Commission urges the MOH to prioritize in 2025 its cancer medicine list and its procurement.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy
Chairperson