– Presidential Commission
Pointing to notable progress in the fight against cancer, Guyana’s Presidential Commission on the Prevention and Control of NCDs [non-communicable diseases] says much more needs to be done.
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Charter of Paris Against Cancer, the Commission noted in a release the significant increase in services for cancer at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) with an average of more than 50 new patients each month, which is testimony to the dramatic increase in cancer care in Guyana.
At the end of 2024, the release disclosed, the GPHC had 500 patients on active chemotherapy, in addition to medicines, treatment and care include psycho-social support. Also, the number of cancer medicines in use at GPHC has increased, the statement signed by chairperson, Dr Leslie Ramsammy said.
Also described as a welcome development is the recent expansion of chemotherapy through the GPHC to the New Amsterdam Hospital with approximately100 patients receiving chemotherapy through the New Amsterdam Hospital clinic, after initiation at the GPHC. The Commission underscored that this provides relief for patients and their families, and as such urges GPHC and the MoH to ensure that a similar extension occurs in 2025 to Linden Hospital (Region 10) and Suddie Hospital (Region 2).
In a welcome boost to cancer treatment, collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has resulted in four new sets of mammography equipment added to the public health sector, a significant improvement which will provide the opportunity for more women to be screened for breast cancer.
There has also been an increase in capacity and capability of the new pathology lab at the GPHC which adds to the early diagnostic and wider screening capability for cancer in the public health sector. However, the NCD Commission is urging the MoH to establish target populations for gastric, cervical, breast, lung and prostate cancers and to ensure that Guyana is achieving a target of 90 per cent screening of the target population by World Cancer Day 2026. “This is an ambitious goal, but we must make every effort to achieve it.”
The release also pointed out that Guyana has been adjusting its health care model to fully implement Universal Health Care (UHC), one of the goals of the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] (SDG 3). As such, as part of UHC, “we must ensure cancer prevention and diagnosis are included in the package of services at all levels of care.” In this regard, the Commission commended the GoG and the MoH for its continued consolidation of the nationwide Human Papillomavirus vaccination programme and its cervical cancer screening programme.
Notwithstanding, the Commission expressed the desire for a similar approach of integrating prevention and screening programmes for breast cancer, prostate cancer, gastric cancer and lung cancer within the UHC.
It also urged MoH to “urgently” formalise a childhood cancer programme. “With the strong evolution of an Oncology Programme at GPHC, the impending opening of the Pediatric Women Hospital at Ogle in early 2026 and the establishment of a Cancer Treatment Cancer by 2028, as announced by President Irfaan Ali, the MoH must move rapidly to formalise a childhood cancer programme.”
The Commission also noted the improvement of the National Cancer Registry and looks forward for a world-class Cancer Registry.
While acknowledging the notable improvement in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care in the public-health sector, the Commission found it difficult to ignore persistent challenges such as existing cancer prevention policies and programmes that are not fully implemented. Screening for specific cancers is low, even for cervical cancer where testing capacity has been established. For example, cervical cancer screening is less than 50% the target population. Late diagnosis, when treatment is generally less effective and costlier, is common. “While rapid improvement is occurring, like in all developing counties, national capacity remains inadequate to manage the increasing cancer burden,” the release stated.
On this basis it charged the MoH with publishing the package of services for cancer available in Guyana today and those planned for introduction in 2025.
Finally, the Commission called for urgent steps must be taken to align capacity with the growing cancer burden in Guyana while urging MoH to prioritise in 2025 its cancer medicine list and its procurement.
