A major boost is coming to Guyana’s public healthcare system with the establishment of dialysis treatment centres in every administrative region across the country.
This initiative, unveiled by President Irfaan Ali at the commissioning of the new Diamond Regional Hospital on the East Bank of Demerara, is aimed at expanding and equalising access to life-saving medical services.
The government had launched a $600,000 annual dialysis support programme designed to ease the financial burden on patients undergoing regular dialysis treatment. President Ali emphasised that the government is committed to hearing and responding to the needs of citizens.
“We launched the $600,000 annual dialysis support. We have heard the voices of our dialysis patients. We are presently investing in retrofitted dialysis facilities that will go in every single region to ensure that you are not paying more than what you’re supposed to pay for that dialysis treatment,” he stated.
The new dialysis centres will serve to complement the national voucher programme, which already assists hundreds of patients in managing the high costs of care. However, access remains a serious challenge—particularly for those living outside the coast or in rural communities where healthcare facilities are scarce.
By bringing dialysis treatment closer to where people live, the government hopes to reduce travel time and ensure more equitable access to treatment across the country.
“Every single region would have one of these retrofitted facilities to support the vouchers we are giving,” the president said.
Dialysis patients typically require treatment two to three times per week, with each session lasting up to four hours. For many families, the financial and emotional toll of ongoing treatment is significant.
The planned centres are expected to relieve some of this pressure by offering accessible and affordable care within each region.
While specific construction timelines have not yet been disclosed, the initiative represents a major step in the government’s broader mission to build a healthcare system that reaches every Guyanese citizen—regardless of geography or income level.
