–highlights deeper collaboration ahead

VICE- President of the Centre for Global Health at Northwell Health, Dr. Eric Peña has commended the visible progress in Guyana’s healthcare system since his first visit in 2019, pointing to strengthened partnerships, enhanced nursing support, and a growing momentum for sustained development.

Northwell Health, one of the largest healthcare providers in the U.S., established its formal relationship with Guyana in 2017, and has since worked alongside the Ministry of Health and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to implement lasting improvements in the sector.

The doctor underscored that one of the biggest short-term goals that Northwell has been working on with the Government, through the Ministry of Health and the GPHC, is Nursing.
He highlighted the nursing assistant course, and the creation of support roles within hospitals, allowing registered nurses (RNs) to focus on more advanced clinical tasks.
“It doesn’t require the RN degree,” he said, noting that this layered support model improves efficiency and patient care.
Looking ahead, Dr. Peña emphasised a long-term vision of mutual growth. “We want this to be a very long relationship,” he said.
“The relationship and how Northwell is going to be useful will change as the healthcare system develops.”

He acknowledged that progress may not always be immediately felt on the ground, but assured that change is evident.
“There’s been a lot of progress, and it’s encouraging,” he said, adding, “We’ve got to roll our sleeves up and keep going; there’s a lot of momentum that’s building.”

Dr. Peña shared that when Northwell was deciding which countries to prioritise for deeper global health collaboration, Guyana quickly emerged as the top choice due to its deep diasporan ties.
“When we were narrowing that list down, one of the big criteria we used was how much of a local connection to the country do we have? With Guyana, it was obvious. Richmond Hill is in Northwell’s backyard,” he said.

The Guyanese community forms a core part of Northwell’s patients and staff, he added.
At the national level, the Government of Guyana is advancing several health initiatives under its Manifesto commitments.

These include improving wages and working conditions for health workers, upgrading diagnostic services across regional hospitals, and expanding access to healthcare in remote communities.

CT scans, ultrasounds, and echocardiogram services are being expanded, along with improved ambulance and emergency response systems.

Through key partnerships with Northwell Health, Mount Sinai Health System, Hess Corporation, the World Bank, and United Nations agencies, Guyana’s Ministry of Health is pursuing a transformative agenda to modernise and expand the healthcare landscape across the country.