-Pioneers in Guyana and other developing countries

FROM October 19 to 25, 2025, Guyana joined the world in the observation of International Respiratory Care Week, under the theme, ‘Your Breath, Our Mission.’

Throughout the week, the work of Respiratory Care Professionals, who devote their skills and compassion to lending a helping hand to ensure that their patients breathe easier, was recognised and celebrated.

Along with public-education activities in an attempt to recruit additional students for the third cohort on Respiratory Therapy, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) alongside the Ministry of Health and the University of Guyana promoted respiratory health by raising awareness on respiratory diseases, intervention, and effective management.

On Friday last, they hosted a virtual meet and greet/ mentorship session with students in the Respiratory Therapy (RT) programme at the university, one of the final events of the week.

The meet and greet allowed students to gather information about their profession from seasoned practitioners and their lecturers, highlighting to them their importance and role in the healthcare system.

Delivering remarks, Permanent Representative of Guyana to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Ambassador Dr Leslie Ramsammy made it his mission to highlight that it is very important for us that step by step, we are placing respiratory health and lung health as a critical part of the general health of our people.

Dr Ramsammy stated that some of Guyana’s neighbouring countries are looking at our country to lead and to help support similar developments in their country.

The ambassador posited that Guyana stands today as among the first developing countries around the world to have a formal and certified training programme at the university level for Respiratory Therapists.

“I’m delighted to be part of today’s meet and greet for the first batch and for the second batch of RT students in Guyana. You are pioneers in Guyana. In fact, you are pioneers for most of the developing world,” Dr Ramsammy told students.

He boasted of the University of Guyana being one of the few universities in the global south to have a first-world curriculum for R.Ts, and to have an RT programme.

Calling out key local players on this, Ambassador Ramsammy expressed thanks to international partners who have been a part of building Guyana’s respiratory-health capacity, such as the Chiesi  Foundation in Italy, that is dedicated to the promotion of healthy lungs, globally.

He disclosed that for nearly 15 years, the foundation has assisted Guyana in the development of its spirometry training programme, and is aiding in developing statistical indicators to measure the extent of local lung diseases.

“Respiratory health is still not situated in the proper place in the global health sector. I tonight, as I do every single day, urge the WHO (World Health Organization) to work more diligently to correct this deficit. The world faces a stiff challenge with shortages of health resources. One of the worst shortages in terms of health human resources in Guyana and around the world is for respiratory therapists,” Ambassador Ramsammy remarked.

According to Dr Ramsammy, respiratory health is critical for universal health coverage, because respiratory diseases are a leading cause of death and disability, and requires continuous and comprehensive care.

He said further that ensuring everyone has access to preventive care, diagnosis and treatment for lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, pneumonia, and tuberculosis is essential for universal health care.

“Prioritising lung health also involves addressing risk factors like air pollution, which further supports UHC’s (Universal Health Coverage) broader objective. Outside of this, hospital care for heart diseases, for treating various diseases in critical-care areas, treating patients on ventilators, for ensuring neonatal safety when they are being treated in neonatal intensive care units, etc., requires a staff of respiratory specialists, both doctors and nurses, and a cadre of respiratory therapists,” he said.

Dr Ramsammy explained that respiratory therapists’ work is not merely being in a hospital setting, they are critical for community care.

In passing, Dr Ramsammy mentioned that on the East Coast of Demerara, at Industry, is Guyana’s first-ever, stand-alone, Lung Health Centre, with a dedicated Sleep Centre.

He underscored, “And that is not something you hear about in developing countries. Guyana is investing in that, an extension satellite facility of the Georgetown Public Hospital,”