CHIEF Executive Officer of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Robbie Rambarran, has revealed that the institution will soon be able to offer advanced treatment for kidney stones using Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL), eliminating the need for prolonged hospitalisation in many cases.
“What will be in that imaging centre? An MRI. We have a CT scan but it has aged, so we have some reservations about it and so we bought another CT scan, so that’s two CTs; we have a Cath Lab and we bought another, two brand new mammograph machines. We also have the Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy. This is a machine that is being used for treatment of kidney stones and I was told by the doctors that you don’t even need to put the patients to sleep and they can go home as soon as the procedure is finished. They also told me that no where in the Caribbean has it. It’s a huge investment, over a billion dollars for the equipment and the building. These are some of the exciting things that’s happening at the hospital to transform our diagnostic capabilities and will help us to treat our patients better,” Mr Rambarran explained.
He was at the time speaking on ‘Starting Point’ and was referring to the construction of the new state-of-the-art Medical Imaging Centre at the GPHC.
Mr Rambarran recalled that when he assumed duties at the corporation in 2021, Guyana’s premier health institution did not have a functioning X-ray machine.
As a result, the government moved to replace non-functioning equipment with modern alternatives. He noted that these investments have contributed significantly to the $85.2 billion invested in GPHC over the last five years, excluding allocations for 2026.
“A lot of those have been on infrastructural improvement. I always say, once we give the people the tools, they shouldn’t complain, Now, what we have to do is work on the human-resources aspect to deliver to the people the level of service that they need,” the CEO said.
With the addition of new equipment and facilities, Mr Rambarran emphasised that training remains one of the most impactful areas of development within the corporation.
“ In terms of where it is most impactful, you can see the impact in our training, post-graduate training especially. Right now we have over 21 post-graduate trainings at the hospital. This is where doctors and nurses in collaboration with the University of Guyana and several universities aboard [sic] partner up on training, so that they can meet the needs of our people and in giving specialised care,” Mr Rambarran said.
The results of these investments in training, equipment, and infrastructure are becoming increasingly evident. One area highlighted by the CEO was maternal health outcomes.
“The GPHC last year recorded 11 maternal deaths, most of which were indirect deaths, meaning deaths that were not caused by maternal complications but by comorbidities that developed later on in the patient. So far in 2026, only two maternal deaths occurred at the facility and both were indirect deaths,” the CEO revealed.
Mr Rambarran, who has spent more than two decades at the Georgetown Public Hospital, beginning shortly after high school, credited the institution’s progress to the dedication and hard work of its staff.
“I would start by thanking each one of them for showing up amidst challenges. Health care is not easy, we spend many long hours, but the bottom line that drives the change, the evolution of the Georgetown Hospital and it’s not a one-man show, it’s not my show, it’s building out a team’s effort. I have been at the hospital from dilapidated buildings, outdated equipment, there was a time in the hospital when we couldn’t afford to buy certain equipment and supplies and we used to rely heavily on donations from abroad and most times used products. But now with the advent of oil and the new prosperity, the President with his mandate, we are able to invest more in health care,” the CEO said.
He added that his more than 20 years of experience at the institution, coupled with a deep understanding of healthcare delivery, has helped shape his leadership approach.
According to Mr Rambarran, collaboration with technical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, has been instrumental in advancing the corporation. He noted that listening to staff, understanding their priorities, and working collectively towards shared goals have all contributed to the continued evolution and modernisation of the hospital.
The GPHC is Guyana’s premier tertiary healthcare institution and Level V national referral centre. Established in 1838, the facility has grown into a modern hospital with more than 550 beds, 26 inpatient wards and eight critical care units, making it the largest and most comprehensive public healthcare institution in the country.
As Guyana’s principal teaching hospital, the GPHC plays a vital role in training healthcare professionals through 21 post-graduate programmes and currently employs 456 doctors and 879 nursing personnel. The institution manages more than 320,000 outpatient visits, 26,600 inpatient admissions, and approximately 75,000 emergency department visits annually.
The hospital also provides a wide range of specialised services, including a 24-hour Accident and Emergency Department, advanced surgical services, medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, and Guyana’s first officially certified Kidney Transplant Centre, established in 2024.
In 2025, its pathology laboratory earned certification to GYS 170-2021 from the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, further reinforcing its reputation as a model institution for patient safety, quality improvement, and clinical excellence.
With 11 operating theatres, specialised centres for obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, and paediatrics, along with strategic partnerships that support healthcare delivery, education, and research, the Georgetown Hospital remains the backbone of Guyana’s public healthcare system and a critical pillar in safeguarding the nation’s health and well-being.