–President Ali says, as local health facility records surge in patient care, two per cent drop in medivacs
PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali has said that Region Nine’s healthcare system has undergone a dramatic transformation with medical evacuations dropping to under two per cent, and thousands of Brazilian patients now crossing into Guyana for care at the Lethem Hospital.
Speaking at a recent event, the Head of State pointed out how investment in health infrastructure and specialist services is beginning to reverse long‑standing patterns of dependency on neighbouring countries.
“Just two years ago, thousands of patients had to leave Lethem to go to Brazil for treatment, and 90 per cent of anything technical had to be taken back to Georgetown,” he said, adding:
“Today, Medivac is less than 2 per cent, and now we have thousands of Brazilians coming to Lethem for treatment. This is a reality.”
For years, residents of Lethem and surrounding communities in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) relied heavily on Brazilian hospitals and clinics for services that were either unavailable or difficult to access in Guyana. Complex or “technical” cases were routinely transferred to Georgetown, often at considerable cost, and with significant delays.
President Ali said that that situation has changed dramatically as the government has expanded services and upgraded facilities in the town. He pointed to a sharp reduction in medical evacuations, and the emergence of Lethem as a net recipient of patients from across the border.
Last year, it was reported that regional health services had seen a marked increase in patient visits, with an annual total that has surged from approximately 20,000 to nearly 30,000 patients seen per year.
“This is a reality, and I say this because when we do not value what we are building, we are also not valuing the people who are helping to build this: The doctors, the nurses, the technicians, the labourers, everybody, because this is their story; the success is their story,” he said.
President Ali noted that the shift in Lethem should not be viewed in isolation, but as part of a broader transformation of Guyana’s health system that includes new hospitals, advanced diagnostic equipment, specialist training, and stronger partnerships with the private sector.
Cross‑border patient flows from Brazil to Lethem are an early sign of how improved facilities in historically remote areas could help underpin a new health economy on the frontier, one that supports local jobs, strengthens ties with neighbouring regions, and contributes to Guyana’s growing reputation as a provider of specialist medical services.
“The government looks forward to working with responsible private healthcare providers who share a commitment to quality, affordability, ethics and national development, we look forward to the day when Guyana, through strong public private partnerships, will have the best medical tourism programme in this region,” President Ali said, adding:
“Imagine patients travelling here for ophthalmology services, elective procedures, diagnostics, rehabilitation, dental services, fertility care, wellness, treatments and specialised surgeries.”
While the President acknowledged that much work remains to be done, he noted that targeted investment and consistent policy can deliver tangible results.
The Guyana Chronicle had previously reported that some 455 Brazilians had major surgeries done at the Lethem Hospital, one of the region’s premier healthcare facilities.
This had surpassed all historical data the region would have had in regard to surgeries done with some 1340 surgeries.
