Oct 21, 2026
3 min read
Hinterland and other underserved communities are set to receive 19 more Medex after the Medics Training Programme produced its first graduates in 18 years on Tuesday.
The class of 18 women and one man, all experienced midwives, achieved a 100 per cent pass rate, according to Medics Training Programme Coordinator Shelene Sarah De Peana. The programme was last conducted in 2008.
Programme officials are identifying the communities and health facilities that will receive the graduates first, with the aim of bringing essential services closer to residents and reducing long-distance travel for medical care.
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, who delivered the feature address, said the country must work towards comparable standards of healthcare on the coast and in the hinterland.
"We don't want that there are two different standards of care in Guyana," he said, adding that the Government wants coastal quality of care reflected in the interior.
Dr Anthony urged the graduates to follow clinical protocols, recognise the limits of their expertise and use telemedicine, available at 130 sites, to consult doctors and specialists when necessary.
Health Ministry Director of Training and Education Dr Chandrawtie Persaud-Bahadur said the graduates must combine clinical knowledge with compassion and professionalism.
Among them was Martin Fields, the only man in the cohort, who began nursing in Berbice in 2010 before moving to Region One. He entered the midwifery programme in 2015 and returned to Region One to serve.
"I wanted to do it before, but there were some hiccups with the course programme, and when I found out that they had this advanced programme, I jumped for it from the inception," he said.
He is not ruling out further studies. "I won't say this is the last lap, but time will tell if I will step up again," he said.
Another graduate, Geraldine Walcott, left her home at Charity, Region Two, to train in Georgetown. She described the move as difficult but beneficial.
"Yes, so moved from the comfort of my home to live in the city," she said.
Walcott intends to continue learning through online courses and to serve her community in Region Two. She had not been assigned a placement at the time of the interview.
The cohort began training on January 13, 2025, with 21 midwives from nine of the 10 administrative regions. Two later withdrew for personal reasons.
Training combined classroom instruction at Health Sciences Education with clinical rotations at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, health centres and regional attachments. Students also received instruction in telemedicine, advanced life support, electrocardiogram and X-ray interpretation, visual inspection with acetic acid, minor surgical procedures and geriatric medicine. They were assessed through coursework, case studies, community and family health assignments, and written and practical examinations.
The programme was established to address shortages of physicians in hinterland, riverine and underserved communities. Medical extension officers, known as Medex, assess, diagnose and manage patients within their authorised scope of practice, provide preventive healthcare and make referrals.
