Suitable spaces for UG’s medical school examined

– as Govt moves to decentralise programme

In keeping with the Government’s commitment to expand access to higher education and strengthen Guyana’s healthcare system, Education Minister Sonia Parag on Wednesday visited several potential locations in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) to examine suitable spaces for the decentralisation of the University of Guyana’s medical programme.
The initiative forms part of a broader plan to expand UG’s medical school beyond its Turkeyen Campus, enabling more qualified students to pursue medical studies, particularly those who cannot be currently accommodated owing to limited space.
Minister Parag was accompanied by Advisor on Education Reform, Dr Kofi Dalrymple, and Regional Executive Officer Narindra Persaud, during the visit. She expressed optimism about the facilities at UG’s Tain Campus, noting that the spaces available there meet the academic, infrastructural, and logistical standards required for the expansion of the medical programme.
“This is a critical step in ensuring that every student who meets the requirements to study medicine is given the opportunity to do so, regardless of geographic location,” Minister Parag said, emphasising the Government’s focus on equity, accessibility, and decentralisation in tertiary education.
The visit follows a high-level meeting in September between Minister Parag; Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony and UG Vice Chancellor, Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin, where discussions centred on the expansion and decentralisation of medical education across the country.
The move also fulfils a commitment made by President Dr Irfaan Ali to accommodate the growing number of eligible students, who, since the removal of tuition fees for UG, have sought to enrol in the medical programme.
With the increasing number of applicants and the Government’s ongoing investment in the health sector, including the construction of six new state-of-the-art regional hospitals and several upcoming speciality facilities – the decentralisation of UG’s medical programme is expected to play a pivotal role in bridging human resource gaps in healthcare delivery.
Minister Parag highlighted that the first phase of the initiative will see medical studies expanded to Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), strategically positioning future doctors and healthcare professionals closer to the communities they will serve.
“This approach ensures that as we modernise and expand our healthcare infrastructure, we are simultaneously building the human capital required to sustain it,” Minister Parag underscored.
The Education Ministry, in collaboration with the Health Ministry and the University of Guyana, will continue to assess facilities and finalise implementation plans in the coming months, paving the way for a more accessible, decentralised, and future-ready medical education system in Guyana.


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