Dr. Anthony eyes expanded medical collaboration with Qatar
— Minister praises visiting Red Crescent team, highlights future training and hospital development
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, has announced plans for deeper medical collaboration between Guyana and Qatar following the successful visit of the Qatar Red Crescent Medical Convoy.
Speaking at a dinner hosted on Sunday by President Irfaan Ali in honour of the visiting team, Dr. Anthony said discussions have already begun to establish future partnerships that will see Guyanese doctors benefitting from training opportunities in Qatar.
“What we also want to do in the future is to have collaborations, and they have already identified some of our doctors who would probably be able to go to Qatar and have observerships and fellowships so that they can enhance their skills and come back to serve the people here,” the Minister said.
He noted that Guyana is also looking forward to welcoming more medical teams from Qatar to work alongside local doctors. “I think this partnership is going to grow as the year goes by,” he added.
The Minister highlighted that the collaboration has already produced tangible results, with the visiting team performing a range of surgeries, both pediatric and adult, and sharing valuable expertise with local medical practitioners. “In some of the specializations, we don’t have people with the skill set, so [the visiting doctors] spent quite a lot of time teaching our local doctors how to do these new techniques,” he said.
Dr. Anthony explained that the knowledge exchange has already improved surgical efficiency, noting that procedures which previously took up to eight hours can now be done in half that time due to advanced techniques shared by the Qatari specialists.
He also expressed gratitude for Qatar’s past support, recalling the assistance provided during the COVID-19 pandemic. “You know your friends in times of need,” he said, recounting how Qatar sent a field hospital, ventilators, and other vital supplies at a time when such equipment was scarce worldwide.
The Minister emphasized that the growing partnership with Qatar reflects Guyana’s commitment to building a strong, modern healthcare system. He pointed to ongoing projects such as the new pediatric and maternal hospital, which is currently being outfitted internally. He said Guyana hopes to draw from Qatar’s experience in developing similar facilities to expedite the process.
“We would want to use some of your experience to expedite what we’ll be doing here in Guyana,” he said. “We can learn a lot of lessons from you, so we’ll be leaning on you to see how we can move our hospital forward in the fastest possible way.”
Dr. Anthony thanked the Qatar Red Crescent team for their service and expressed hope that their visit would mark the beginning of a lasting and fruitful partnership. “I know for most of you it’s the first time [in Guyana], but I’m sure that you would have enjoyed the warmth and hospitality, and that we’ll be doing this very often,” he said.
