–Dr. Anthony says numerous training programmes underway amidst infrastructural advancement

IN keeping with efforts to boost the human resource capacity in the rapidly growing health sector, some 128 new patient care assistants graduated during a ceremony held at Pegasus Suites on Tuesday.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, during his address at the ceremony, told the proud graduates their achievement was just the beginning; the first step towards broader career opportunities and a stronger, more resilient healthcare system for all Guyanese.

The programme, which gained overwhelming support and a 100 per cent pass rate, saw 128 students graduate the course, 94 from Region Four and 34 from Region Three.
The students underwent a final assessment consisting of a written examination and clinical scoring.
The Region Three programme commenced in October 2024 at the West Demerara Regional Hospital and concluded in February 2025, while the Region Four training began in February at the Health Sciences Education centre in Kingston and concluded in May.

Both cohorts completed a rigorous four-month programme: two months of theoretical instruction and two months of clinical education.
During their clinical placements, students rotated through departments such as the male and female medical wards, surgical units, and paediatrics, gaining first-hand experience in patient care across multiple areas.

Minister Anthony expressed his and his ministry’s support for the new cohort and emphasised the importance of compassion and professionalism as they begin their careers.
“You are joining a very noble profession, and we hope that while you spend some time working with our patients that you uphold the values of this profession,” he said, adding: “People come to hospitals not because they want to be there. They come to hospitals because they’re sick, they’re vulnerable, and sometimes they need compassion and empathy from us. And if we fail to do that, then we will not be doing the work that we were trained to do.”

The minister stressed that the ministry’s work goes beyond training. He noted that by the end of August, six new hospitals will be completed and operational.
“Over the last five years, we have embarked on a big expansion in the health sector. And we have in the public sector maybe about 400 or so health centres and posts. We have about 22 district hospitals and regional hospitals.

And the referral hospital at Georgetown. But in addition to all of that, over the last five years, we would have added an additional 26 new health centres and posts across this country. And we have started a programme to build new hospitals. And that includes six hospitals that we will be completing and operationalising by the end of this month,” he said.

MODERN FACILITIES
Giving graduates a glimpse of the modern facilities being introduced, Dr. Anthony said that the new hospitals will feature improved layouts and built-in systems for better patient care.
“These hospitals are different from what we are accustomed. Every one of these hospitals, we have rooms, and in each of those rooms we have five beds. And in each of those rooms we also have a toilet and a bath in the room itself. And on the walls of the room, we have things like oxygen that you can connect to the wall, or the different gases that we need, so everything is built in,” he said.

Dr. Anthony also laid out possible career roadmaps for graduates through a number of government initiatives, some already underway and others set to begin within the coming months.
He highlighted the one-year nursing assistant programme and the three-year registered nursing programme.
New specialist training in areas like cardiac and ICU nursing will be available, while online platforms such as Coursera and MedVarsity, through Apollo Hospital in India, will offer over 160 free government-funded courses, including ECG training, leading to certificates or diplomas.
International partnerships are also opening doors for training at McMaster University and Mount Sinai Hospital. This, the minister said, is the first step in the ministry’s move towards nurse specialisation.

“We are working to ensure that we also have specialisation in nursing. So, if you now haven’t done, let’s say, registered nursing programme, but then you want to go on to become a cardiac nurse, to work in a cardiac ICU or something like that, then we are having specialised programmes where we can train you in these different disciplines,” he said.
Encouraging the graduates to embrace every chance to grow, Dr. Anthony concluded his address on a note of self-development.

He said: “When these opportunities come, don’t hesitate. Take them. Because you don’t know when they will come again. Use them to their fullest, because at the end of the day, you will benefit from them.”

His message reinforced the significance of continued professional growth in a rapidly modernising health sector, where both infrastructure and skills are being built to serve the nation for decades to come.