Nine Guyanese doctors for advanced training in China

Last Updated on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, 22:04 by Writer

Nine Guyanese doctors are heading off to China for advanced training in several areas of specialisation to help the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) continue to deliver quality healthcare to Guyanese and the growing number of foreigners here, officials said Tuesday.

Chief Executive Officer of the GPHC Robbie Rambarran said specialists in ophthalmology, pathology, nephrology, orthopedics, anaesthesia, obstetrics and gynaecology, plastic surgery, and general surgery would be participating in the three-month training and capacity building programme, the third such cohort.

“Obviously this will impact the healthcare delivery to the people of Guyana, and not only the people of Guyana, but those that come to our door, because we have been seeing a large number of foreigners who live here that come for care,” Mr Rambarran said.

The GPHC CEO said short-term visitors to Guyana were also coming to tap into the hospital’s services.

“We have been seeing some of them who are not living here would come here and integrate for a week, and then come to the hospital to receive care, and that’s truly the testimony of people’s confidence in what we are doing, and this confidence can only be built by partnership like these that we are doing,” he also said.

He also said the 21st Chinese Medical Brigade was also preparing to hand over yet another consignment of equipment and supplies to the GPHC, the nation’s primary health care institution.

The China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), one of the co-venturers in the Stabroek Block, has “directly sponsored” five of the nine doctors to pursue the advanced medical training, CNOOC Petroleum (Guyana) Limited representative Bayney Karran said.

He explained that the reason for doing so was to help upskill the doctors. “It is our hope that this second, third cohort of doctors would absorb their training diligently and return to Guyana better experienced and much improved to continue their vital task of caring for the sick,” he said.

China’s Ambassador to Guyana Yang Yang wants more Guyanese to take advantage of the health diplomacy initiative being provided by her country.

“We hope that more medical professionals in Guyana with strong expertise, international outlook, and innovative spirit can be cultivated, thereby supporting the development of Guyana’s healthcare system in the long run.,” she said.

Ms Yang said China was ready to work with Guyana to enhance pragmatic health operation. “Together, we are committed to strengthen cooperation in medical technology, personnel training, and addressing public health challenges,” she added.

CNOOC Petroleum (Guyana) Limited is also supporting the work of the Chinese Medical Brigade in Guyana, said Mr Karran, a former Guyana Ambassador to China.

Ms Yang said over the years, 313 doctors under the Chinese Medical Brigade programme have served Guyana with “unwavering dedication.”

Meanwhile, Guyana is also one of several Caribbean and South American countries that is benefitting from capacity-building of its heathcare systems from the United States’ Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).