Pres Ali, Mount Sinai, Hess Corp meet, discuss modern Oncology Centre in Guyana

President Dr Irfaan Ali recently led discussions between the Guyana Government, Mount Sinai Health System and Hess Corporation on the national healthcare initiative to transform the country’s public health system so that world-class healthcare services can be accessible to every Guyanese citizen.
The Head of State recently travelled to New York for the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last week.

On the sidelines of the UNGA, President Ali led the Steering Committee meeting with Mount Sinai, one of the largest academic medical institutions in New York, and United States energy major, Hess Corporation.
During the engagement, discussions were held on the collaboration on primary health care initiatives, the electronic medical records system, and the establishing an Oncology Centre in Guyana.
Back in February, the Guyanese leader had announced plans to set up a modern oncology centre here to enhance cancer treatment and care. He had noted that Hess Corporation – one of the partners operating in the oil-rich Stabroek Block offshore Guyana that has since sold its shares to Chevron – agreed to continue financing Guyana’s partnership with Mount Sinai for another three years.
“They will be coming in to help us in the building out of a modern oncology centre that will treat cancer. We’re not only looking at diagnostic but building facilities for treatment,” the President had explained.
An oncology centre is a medical facility that specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and research of cancer. Construction of the oncology centre in Guyana is expected to start this year and it is slated to be completed by 2027.

National Heath Care Initiative
This collaboration between the Government, Hess and Mount Sinai was first launched in July 2022 with the rollout of the national healthcare initiative that aimed to enhance the country’s public health system. Since then, Mount Sinai supported Guyana’s Ministry of Health in rolling out the Government’s health system innovations, including over 35,000 child health screenings, the Ministry’s training programs that will graduate nearly 900 nursing assistants in 2025, and a new state-of-the-art pathology lab.
In March of this year, this collaboration was extended for another five years until 2030. Key goals for this next phase include the establishment of a national cancer centre, continued modernisation of national health facilities including Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, and the implementation of one of the world’s most advanced digital health systems.
The establishment of a first-in-class national cancer centre will see the screening and treatment of breast, cervical, prostate and other common cancers that cause the most deaths in Guyana. The first phase of cancer services will expand much-needed access to cancer screening, diagnostic and treatment options; the second phase will offer advanced tertiary oncology services to the entire community in Guyana.
Additionally, Mount Sinai will also play a role in ensure Guyana’s new Paediatric and Maternal Hospital at Ogle, East Coast Demerara, meets international quality standards, is well-managed, and ready to provide high-quality care for all of Guyana’s women and children.
Moreover, they will also complete the transformation of health systems across Guyana’s 10 regions to ensure everyone, especially youth and vulnerable people, can receive health screenings, primary care treatment, and supportive services – creating a supportive health ecosystem across the country.
The implementation of a national programme is also on the cards to improve the quality, safety, and delivery of health services – from Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), the country’s largest hospital, to regional hospitals to every health centre and post. These initiatives will provide a strong foundation for the growth of a high-quality, modern health system that provides unparalleled care for all.
When it comes to digitisation, Mount Sinai will support the implementation of Guyana’s first national electronic health records system and complete the foundations for one of the most advanced digital health systems in the region and the world by 2030. It will also continue work to ensure critical health workforce needs are met by continuing capacity building in health workforce development, resource planning, management, and financing.
As part of efforts to modernise healthcare delivery in the country, the Guyana Government is also working with a number of other major health institutions in the US including Northwell Health.
In fact, during his recent visit to New York, President Ali and his team also engaged Northwell officials on the modernisation of emergency management systems in Guyana, among other areas of collaboration ongoing.