Some 165 Guyanese doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals have enrolled in the Government of Guyana’s Online Academy for Learning (GOAL) first-ever online healthcare science programme.
The digital health education initiative is being delivered through a partnership with Medvarsity, Asia’s largest healthcare EdTech company, which is accredited by the British Accreditation Council.
Speaking at the official launch of the first cohort on Tuesday, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, described the programme as a bold step towards transforming the country’s healthcare system.
“We are really looking forward to using the courses that you have here to upskill our doctors and nurses and other technicians so that they would be able to give a higher level of medical care to the people of Guyana,” he stated.
The minister said, “In time to come maybe the people of the Region because we see Guyana being developed as a Caribbean hub for the delivery of health care and with your assistance, we will be able to do that.”
Of the 165 beneficiaries, 141 are women and 24 are men. Nurses and allied health workers account for 84 per cent of the participants, while 16 per cent are doctors.
Each participant has received scholarships to pursue two courses, amounting to a total of 330 scholarships awarded in total. The programmes range from one to six months.
The most popular courses being offered include:
- Advanced Certificate in Critical Care Nursing
- Certificate in ECG Interpretation
- Certificate in Diabetes Mellitus
- Advanced Certificate in Infection Prevention & Control
- Advanced Certificate in Surgical Nursing
- Advanced Certificate in Clinical Cardiology
Dr Anthony urged participants to make full use of the academic opportunity and expressed hope that the skills gained will be applied effectively in the future.
“I would like to encourage all the beneficiaries of the programme to make sure that they work hard, do all the different quizzes and so forth that are there because you are the pioneering batch and the example that you set would certainly set the role and pace for the others who would come after you,” the minister said.
The initiative aims to bridge the gap in the availability of trained healthcare professionals and specialists to support Guyana’s rapidly expanding health infrastructure, including the construction of five new regional hospitals.
The health minister announced that by the end of August, six new hospitals will become operational, with another six in the pipeline to be constructed and opened within the next two years.
In addition, the government is investing in oncology centres, a stroke rehabilitation centre, and other specialised facilities, all of which will require skilled professionals.
Since its launch in 2021, the government has invested $12.6 billion in the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), averaging around $312,000 per student. The programme has nearly doubled its original target of 20,000 online scholarships, with more than 39,000 awarded to date.