THE Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Health, has been taking steps to fulfil its manifesto commitment to providing enhanced health services for all Guyanese.

Part of that commitment to the health sector includes plans to improve conditions of service and remuneration for healthcare workers, technicians, nurses and doctors, as well as plans to upgrade health facilities countrywide, including the expansion of diagnostic services such as CIT Scans, ultrasound and echocardiogram, at key regional hospitals, and improve ambulance services. Improving access to healthcare services in remote parts of Guyana, also form part of government’s plans.

On the sidelines of the 2025 National Toshaos Council Conference, Chairwoman of the Saxacalli Community Development Council (CDC) in Region Three, Helen Williams, said that her community’s health post was recently renovated.

She said an extra room has been added to the Health Post, providing a more comfortable environment to both staff and patients and the waiting area was tiled. The health facility also now has Wi-Fi access in place.

Williams stated, “Concerning visitation, we get a monthly doctor visiting from Region Three. Not only doctors [but] we get mid-wife, we get dentist, and so on.”

She pointed out that the availability of medication has improved significantly and instances of a shortage is a thing of the past. The health facility also facilitates malaria testing, she said in a short video that was posted on the Ministry of Health’s Facebook page.

“That’s one for the river; and I believe that’s the only Health Post in the river that do malaria testing,’ she said.

They also received a river ambulance from the Ministry of Health that would aid in the transportation of patients to the hospital, and supplies.

Also speaking was Toshao of Wiruni in Region Ten, Rohan Fredericks.

“Quite recently, the health centre was upgraded. We have three health workers presently, now. We’re doing the telemedicine presently,” he said in the video which is also on the health ministry’s Facebook page.

Fredericks said in Wiruni, healthcare vouchers have been distributed, providing persons there with the opportunity to receive spectacles and other health services they may require.

“I’d like to encourage the government to continue investing in the health sector so that each and every person could benefit,” he said.

Another Toshao, Marsha Williams of Mainstay Village, endorsed the transformative healthcare enhancements in her village.

“Across my village, the health is improving I must say…we’ve recently had an extension to our health post, where we have now our pharmacy room, or our drug room which we’ll call it. And I know our pharmacists will feel more comfortable, and not be mixed with our midwife…she can be able to do her work more effectively,” Marsha stated is a video that is on the ministry’s Facebook page.

Additionally, the heath post has an oxygen plant, and a new nursing assistant to work along with the midwife.

An application for Community Health Workers (CHWs) has also been sent out by Williams.

She acknowledged that change is coming rapidly to her village, and underscored that with the recently issued medical vouchers, most of the residents have opted to use them to improve their healthcare.

She said a number of residents (children and the elderly) have been able to utilise the eye-testing voucher.

Wendy Francis, the Toshao of Capoey Village, also in Region Two, said her village has undergone tremendous development in the health sector. These changes include an increase in number of persons checking on their health. A medical team visits the community, Toshao Francis said adding that the residents would make good use of the services offered.

“Our community, sometimes, when you go to the doctor at Suddie, you take time, but now most of the time they are going for the rescue of the people. They’re going in there so we could have everything. We don’t have to leave on the road,” she added as she sought to explain how greatly access to healthcare has improved in her community.

Francis expressed a heartfelt thanks to the Government of Guyana for the tremendous work being done in Amerindian villages. “We haven’t got access to that (medical teams) before, and now it’s coming into our community.”

Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, in April this year, attended the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII24), where she mentioned the increasing investment in healthcare infrastructure, and telemedicine in Amerindian villages.