Pres Ali backs stronger US-Guyana medical alliance

President Dr Irfaan Ali has hailed the deepening of United States (US)-Guyana partnership in health care, as a model for transformational international cooperation, praising the visiting Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) 2025, during a special luncheon at State House.
The President’s remarks came as the second deployment of LAMAT medical professionals—comprising 60 US Army and Air Force doctors, nurses, and technicians—executed a two-week mission across five major medical facilities in Guyana, including the Port Mourant Hospital, the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital, the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH), the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the Cheddi Jagan Dental School.
“It is because both Guyana and the United States, we are both taking a deliberate strategy in our foreign policy, in our security, in our economy to build out this relationship capturing all of these values and these characteristics that you spoke of”.
“Our partnership with the United States is one that we value immensely. It is based on mutual commitment to regional peace, prosperity and development. Whether it is through support for maritime space, disaster preparedness or humanitarian purpose, the United States continues to be a steadfast partner to Guyana. We also recognise and appreciate the support of all those who made this mission possible. From the planners and coordinators to the logistics team and trainers, your contributions have not gone unnoticed,” Ali said.
Over the last two- weeks, the LAMAT team delivered essential medical and dental services in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, aimed to strengthen healthcare capacity and bilateral ties.
Among the highlights of the mission was a landmark paediatric eye surgery performed on a two-month-old child—described by President Ali as “a first in Guyana’s medical history”—that restored sight and offered new hope to the family.
According to the Guyanese leader, such procedures emphasise the importance of knowledge transfer between Guyana and the US.
“The significance of your presence lies not only in what you do but in what you represent. Missions like these are fine examples of the value of modern defence cooperation. No longer is defence cooperation confined to joint exercises or military operations. It now embraces a broader more inclusive vision. One that encompasses humanitarian missions, civil military exchanges and people-to-people connections,”
“The words like partnership, doing it together, building trust, collaboration, success together, building bonds of friendship, support and continuity…Those are the words that define the relationship between the US and Guyana. Those are the words that define what we are building in this strong bilateral relationship,” the President said.
In his address, Ali also expressed hope for the expansion of future US missions to include more remote and hinterland regions, ensuring equitable health access for all Guyanese.
“Guyana looks forward with anticipation to hosting similar missions in the future. We see them as valuable opportunities to not only improve the well-being of our people but to continue building the bonds of trust and cooperation between our two countries,” he added.