The Health Ministry is partnering with a nonprofit organization, RAD-AID International, to increase and improve radiology capabilities and services in Guyana. The collaboration entails the expansion of medical imaging equipment, Picture Archiving and Communications Systems (PACS), electronic health interconnectivity, community outreach, as well as clinical education for nurses, technologists, and physicians.
The partnership builds upon RAD-AID’s work to establish Guyana’s first radiology residency at Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) since 2017, which recently graduated Guyana’s first class of in-country trained radiologists. Over the last four years, RAD-AID also implemented and supported new computed tomography (CT) services and PACS in GPHC, New Amsterdam, and Bartica Hospitals, along with training of physicians, nurses, and technologists for IV contrast procedures, radiologic/ultrasound image-quality, patient-safety, and women’s health outreach (with support from Ambra Health, Philips, Bayer, and Google Cloud). During the COVID-19 pandemic, RAD-AID increased remote teaching and clinical support to Guyana’s hospitals, and delivered innovative medical imaging artificial intelligence implementation and training with support from Densitas, Koios Medical, and Qure.ai).
Guyana’s Ministry of Health and RAD-AID aim to leverage these achievements to scale up health care resources in Guyana’s low-resource hospitals and facilities. The Ministry is working with RAD-AID to expand healthcare accessibility among medically underserved communities in Guyana, accelerate technology adoption for modernizing the country’s health information platforms, and connect tertiary care institutions with regional and district health facilities.
“Radiology (Imaging diagnostics) is a critical part of quality medicine. With this collaboration, we seek to elevate both technology and human resource capacity throughout the country, bringing better health care to people” said Guyana’s Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony.
“We are delighted to collaborate with Guyana’s Ministry of Health for advancing radiology health services and capabilities in Guyana,” said Dr. Daniel J. Mollura, Founder, and CEO of RAD-AID. “This new partnership will enable RAD-AID to extend the progress at GPHC, New Amsterdam, and Bartica Hospitals, to other health institutions throughout Guyana. We look forward to strengthening technology, innovation, and education for Guyana’s health workers and patients.”
The Ministry of Health intends to have state-of-the-art X-rays and other imaging diagnostics, such as CT, MRI, and Ultra Sound more accessible in all Regional Hospitals. The Ministry of Health is also phasing out old technology, phasing out the need for imaging films, and use of chemicals that constitute an environmental hazard.
