Northwell Health, President Ali discuss telemedicine expansion, STEM initiatives

President Dr Irfaan Ali met on Wednesday with a team from Northwell Health, led by Vice President and Founding Director of the Centre for Global Health, Dr Eric Cioè-Peña. Discussions centred on the implementation of the National Emergency Medicine Authority and plans to collaborate with ExxonMobil to establish a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Centre in Guyana.
Northwell Health, a New York State-based healthcare provider and private employer, has been expanding its telemedicine services in Guyana since 2022. The programme, which now operates across 81 sites, enables two-way, real-time communication between patients and healthcare providers in different locations, supported by audio-visual technology and integrated medical devices. The initiative targets hinterland and riverine communities, aiming to improve patient outcomes and emergency response capabilities.

Earlier this year, during an edition of The Guyana Dialogue, Dr Cioè-Peña outlined plans to strengthen the existing telemedicine network in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. He explained that the proposed upgrades would integrate telemedicine into an acute care command centre, allowing specialists to provide remote consultations and reducing the need for costly medical evacuations.
“Sometimes a patient transfer from Lethem, for instance, isn’t necessary. With a telemedicine solution, we can manage patients where they are while specialists provide immediate guidance,” Dr Cioè-Peña said.
The Northwell Health executive also highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance efficiency in the medical sector. He noted that AI (Artificially Intelligent) tools, including electronic medical records (EMRs) and decision-support systems, could reduce manual administrative work, enabling healthcare professionals to spend more time with patients and improving overall care quality.
The Government of Guyana has continued to prioritise healthcare in the 2025 national budget, allocating $143.2 billion to the Ministry of Health. Funds will support the completion of regional and speciality facilities, procurement of medical equipment, and disease-specific initiatives, including malaria prevention ($15 million), tuberculosis training ($12.5 million), and HIV/AIDS management training ($28 million). Approximately $83.6 billion has been earmarked for regional and clinical services to enhance healthcare accessibility and quality nationwide.