AS part of a series of improvements set for Guyana’s healthcare system, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, has said that updated emergency medical services will be introduced this year.
The minister made this known during a video message, during which he addressed the government’s vision for this current term, as highlighted by President, Dr Irfaan Ali.
Speaking directly on the plans for new or updated emergency medical services, he said that this will be rolled out over the next two to three years, and entails standardising the types of ambulances being used as part of the system.
Additionally, Dr Anthony said, “Apart from standardisation of the ambulance, we’ll be training EMT’s, Emergency Medical Technicians at various levels, level one, level two, level three, so that they can provide services while transporting the patient. All of these ambulances will be equipped with various things to keep people alive while they transport them.”
Dr Anthony disclosed that there will be a central location where they will coordinate all the ambulances that people can call in.
“We’ll be able to dispatch ambulances, and we are working with Northwell to ensure that we improve the standards of dispatch and to ensure that protocols are properly followed,” he added.
Additionally, he said ambulances will be prepositioned to improve response times so that patients could benefit from these services.
Also to be integrated into this new system will be the water ambulances and medevacs, according to the minister.
He affirmed, “So, starting from early next year, you will see us start introducing elements of this. And over the next couple of years, the system will be fully built out, and we’ll have a new emergency medical service that would be run by a semi-autonomous authority.”
The Health Minister declared that there are many things to look forward to over the next five years, as laid out by the President.
“You can look forward to better care, you can look forward to care that will be timely. You can look forward to wherever you are living, that you would see an improvement in healthcare,” Dr Anthony said.
In September 2025, President Ali had announced that Guyana signed an agreement with Northwell Health to manage emergency medical services.
At that time, he stated that Northwell will be managing the service while capacity is built over the next three years.