SPAR project ends with major gains in mental health sector

The closing ceremony last Thursday

Guyana’s push toward a more inclusive mental health system reached a milestone last Thursday as the Ministry of Health, the International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF), and the Government of Canada marked the closure of the SPAR Project, a nationwide initiative aimed at improving mental health support.

Speaking at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony reflected on policy reforms and project results, but also on the human impact: families gaining hope, youths finding support, and communities becoming better prepared to assist people in distress.

Launched in 2022 through Global Affairs Canada and IDRF, the CAD$2.9 million SPAR Project—Safeguarding the Human Dignity and Rights of Populations At Risk for Ill-Mental Health Across Guyana—targeted long-standing gaps in mental health literacy, stigma and access to early assistance. The initiative focused on empowering residents to become basic responders and connectors to professional care.

Dr. Anthony said those efforts produced visible results across participating regions. “When we reflect on the results and listen to the testimonials, it is clear that we have truly hit the mark,” he said, noting that hundreds of trained community members now serve as first responders during emotional crises. “We greatly value our partnership with Canada through this project.”

The minister placed the programme within the broader context of reforms undertaken over the past five years. One significant achievement, he said, was replacing Guyana’s 1934 mental health law—a colonial-era statute that referred to citizens as “lunatics” and institutions as “asylums”—with modern, rights-based legislation recognising dignity and personhood. “For decades, people lived under laws that used language we would never accept today. We introduced a new legislative framework because mental health must be addressed through a progressive and compassionate lens,” he said.

With the SPAR Project now closed, Dr. Anthony said its influence is expected to continue shaping the country’s developing mental health system.