THE Ministry of Health has announced strengthened measures to ensure that bedridden patients receive structured medical care at home, as part of its ongoing commitment to equitable and accessible healthcare delivery.
Director General of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo, explained that for this year, clear directives have been issued to regional health teams.
“All bedridden patients must be visited at home,” Dr. Mahadeo stated.
He noted that “the initial visit should include a doctor, the dental department, the rehab department, and someone to advise on patient care,” adding that “a plan is to be worked out for each bedridden patient on the way forward.”
The Director General was at the time interacting with the leadership team of Region 5 during the Regional Leadership meeting 2025 Review last Friday.
The meeting was also attended by Advisor to the President on Health, Dr. Mahendra Carpen and a team from the Ministry of Health which included Chief Medex, Carleen Howard-Mohabir; Chief Inspector, Vector Control, David Williams; and Latoya Warde from the Ministry’s Biomedical Engineering Department.
Dr. Mahadeo also outlined enhanced care for expectant mothers, stressing the importance of early medical intervention. “All pregnant mothers must be seen by a general doctor early in her pregnancy,” he said, explaining that throughout the course of pregnancy, mothers “should get a number of ultrasounds, a number of laboratory tests, and must be evaluated early by the dental department.” He emphasised that this approach “is important not only for the health of the baby, but for the health of the mother.”
Addressing health service delivery, Dr. Mahadeo noted that the region performed well in the distribution of government-issued health vouchers. However, he acknowledged that “the uptake of the use of the voucher needs improvement,” and said that strategies have already been developed to increase utilisation so citizens can fully benefit from the services available.
Speaking at a prior public engagement, the Director General had highlighted several complementary initiatives introduced by the government to support families from the earliest stages of life. Among them is the $100,000 newborn cash grant, which has been in effect since January 1, 2025, providing direct financial support to mothers at the time of delivery. This intervention forms part of a wider continuum of care that includes maternal screening, child health services, and universal access to healthcare benefits, all part of President Irfaan Ali’s vision of ensuring that each citizen has access to world class health care across Guyana.
Together, these initiatives reflect the government’s commitment to caring for citizens across the life course, taking our children from their mothers’ arms to our nation’s embrace.