The Ministry of Health has leveled a direct accusation against the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA), claiming the advocacy group deliberately derailed a major hospital project in Region 7 that promised 400 new jobs. This formal rebuke followed what the government describes as a “disinformation campaign” launched by APA President Lemmel Thomas during a recent United Nations forum regarding the quality of healthcare in Guyana’s hinterland.
The most pointed allegation in the Ministry’s response involves a proposed modern hospital in Kamarang, Upper Mazaruni. The government claims that Thomas and the APA discouraged community leadership from approving the land for construction.
The Ministry asserts that this specific facility was designed to eliminate the need for indigenous patients to travel to Georgetown for specialized surgery. Beyond clinical care, officials stated the project would have provided:
400 direct jobs for Amerindian youth.
Local economic stimulus through the procurement of community-sourced building materials.
Enhanced patient outcomes by reducing referral times for critical cases.
“An initiative which the Amerindian Peoples Association discouraged the community from approving… [has stalled] the entire process and deprived the Amerindian communities in that area of access to higher-level healthcare,” the Ministry statement read.
To counter the APA’s international claims, the Ministry released data on its hinterland healthcare spend. Records indicate that between 2020 and 2026, the government allocated over $21.2 billion GYD specifically for indigenous health infrastructure.
The Ministry reported that all 172 health facilities in the hinterland have undergone modernization. Furthermore, the government highlighted its “Frontline Healthcare” strategy, which has seen 840 indigenous persons trained and deployed to their own villages over the last five years, with another 434 currently enrolled in medical programs for 2026.
The government also pointed to its technological footprint as evidence of progress. Since December 2022, 130 telemedicine systems have been installed in remote villages, allowing local health workers to consult with specialists in the city via satellite. Plans are currently underway to expand this to an additional 100 sites by the end of 2026, a move officials say will make Guyana a regional leader in digital health access.
Addressing the sensitive issue of cross-border care, the Ministry clarified the protocol for patients in Region 9. While the APA suggested gaps in service, the Ministry noted that some residents near the Brazilian border choose to be referred to Brazil due to family ties or proximity for specific diagnostics like MRIs.
However, the Ministry emphasized that the state maintains a $220 million annual fund dedicated exclusively to emergency medical evacuations (Medivacs), ensuring that no hinterland resident is forced to walk for miles or cross borders for life-saving care.
The Ministry of Health concluded its statement by calling the APA’s UN presentation “unfortunate” and “disappointing,” maintaining that the government’s track record of infrastructure and scholarship programs speaks for itself.
