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Guyana is aiming to emerge as a healthcare hub in the Caribbean and is counting on Indian expertise to strengthen its medical infrastructure, Guyanese High Commissioner to India Dharamkumar Seeraj said, while lauding India's robust healthcare system.
Underscoring the growing healthcare cooperation between the two countries, Seeraj said that the Guyanese government currently facilitates treatment for patients abroad when specialised care is unavailable domestically, with India emerging as a preferred destination due to its high-quality medical services. "Currently, we have patients travelling to India for specialised treatment. If the required care is not available in Guyana, the Ministry of Health assists patients by facilitating treatment abroad. The government supports patients up to a certain amount, and if the cost exceeds that, additional assistance is provided. Many patients, therefore, opt for treatment in India. There is a logistics problem, the quality of care is excellent, and the cost is highly competitive," he said. Noting the several MoUs and agreements signed with Indian institutions, the high commissioner said that his country aims to further expand on opportunities for patients to seek treatment from a wide range of medical institutions in India. Moreover, Guyana aims to position itself as a healthcare tourism hub on the lines of India, with its growing ties with New Delhi proving instrumental in this effort. "We expect this arrangement to continue as we build our own healthcare systems, and we want to become a healthcare hub of the Caribbean," he said. "We want to tap into Indian expertise. We have established relationships and signed MoUs with several institutions, including the National Cancer Institute and other hospitals, which are offering medical training. They're subsidising it, and sometimes they are offering full sponsorship for students in the medical field," he added. Seeraj believes that India's healthcare system is "excellent and the world has acknowledged it." "At both the government and private sector levels, cooperation is already strong, and we aim to further expand opportunities for patients to seek treatment from a wide range of medical institutions in India," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Guyana in November 2024 gave fresh momentum to bilateral ties, with several MoUs signed in the healthcare sector. These agreements focus on cooperation in health and pharmaceuticals, including the regulation and supply of affordable medicines to Guyana and other CARICOM countries. India also agreed to establish a Jan Aushadhi Kendra in Guyana to improve access to low-cost medicines. (ANI)
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