Medical tourism push expected to create jobs, expand services sector

Guyanese stand to gain new jobs, expanded career paths, and better access to specialised care as the government moves to position the country as a regional hub for medical tourism.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has, on several occasions, pointed out that continued investments in the healthcare sector and infrastructure are opening the door for Guyana to draw patients from across the Caribbean and further afield while creating opportunities for citizens at home.

The ambition is being backed by investments in hospitals, diagnostic services, and specialised care, along with policies that bring private providers into the mix.

Twelve new regional hospitals are to be operational by 2028, with the New Amsterdam Hospital and the Pediatric and Maternal Hospital, the first of its kind in the Caribbean, slated to open this year.

Robotic surgery is also being introduced, and the government has signalled plans for Guyana to manufacture medicines for the wider region.

The Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), upgraded with new digital systems, has been ranked the top airport in the Caribbean and second in Latin America. A second terminal is in the works, designed with the visitor experience in mind.

In addition, the government is investing in state-of-the-art scanners to streamline efficiency and accountability at the country’s main airport.

Medical tourism benefits, President Ali noted, will reach well past the hospital walls, feeding into hotels, restaurants, transport services, retail businesses, and hospitality enterprises. For young Guyanese, the sector is expected to open doors across a wide range of fields.

The government has already trained more than 3,700 young people in healthcare-related fields over the past three years, with another 3,500 currently in training.

“Imagine young Guyanese finding new careers in medicine, nursing, allied health, health administration, biomedical technology, hospitality and logistics,” the president while addressing the recent opening of the Optique Eye Hospital.

The government has also partnered with 75 private healthcare agencies to roll out and continue national voucher programmes to make healthcare more accessible.

Through partnerships with global firms such as Northwell Health and the Mount Sinai Health System, Guyana is rapidly modernising its healthcare systems.

“We look forward to the day when Guyana, through strong public-private partnerships, will have the best medical tourism programme in this region.”