Guyana and Brazil are advancing collaboration on organ donation and transplantation as part of a joint mission aimed at strengthening Guyana’s national transplant programme, officials said on Monday.
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony met with representatives from Brazil’s Ministry of Health and the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC) in Georgetown to advance the “Prospective Mission on Organ Donation and Transplantation,” held from November 10–11.
A team of technical experts from Brazil’s National Transplant Programme will assess Guyana’s current transplant system to identify priority areas for collaboration, training, and system improvement.
Anthony stressed the need to accelerate the establishment of the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Laboratory, enhance staff training, and implement quality assurance protocols. He said strengthening the entire transplant chain—from organ retrieval and surgical techniques to laboratory readiness—was key to improving outcomes.
The Brazilian delegation is expected to visit key facilities, including the Nephrology and Transplantation Departments and the Central Medical Laboratory at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). They will also hold discussions with local clinicians to define areas for joint technical support.
Following their assessment, the team will prepare an action plan with specific activities and timelines to address identified gaps, with implementation expected to begin immediately after the mission.
Brazil’s Ambassador to Guyana, Maria Cristina de Castro Martins, attended the meeting, along with Dr Shanti Singh-Anthony, Chairperson of the Human Organ and Tissue Transplant Agency (HOATTA), and Dr Sondia Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of the HOATTA Secretariat.
