Some 600 patients received life-saving treatment for coronary diseases at GPHC in 2024

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) treated approximately 600 patients with coronary blockages in 2024, providing artery stent procedures free of cost. Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said on Monday that this procedure is one of many treatment options available at the hospital that is saving and transforming lives.

Artery stent procedures are performed when a blockage occurs in an artery, a condition that can lead to heart failure and blood clots. The Government of Guyana last year secured an additional catheterisation laboratory (CATH Lab), which aids in diagnosing patients requiring this procedure. This has significantly enhanced the public healthcare system’s capacity to respond to cardiovascular diseases.

Minister Anthony was delivering remarks at an event held on Monday at the Guyana Marriott Hotel. He explained that in 2019 the hospital performed this procedure for only 39 patients annually, but due to robust training programmes and increased investments, the hospital has significantly expanded its capacity to save and improve the lives of Guyanese citizens.

“At the Georgetown Hospital, when someone arrives at the emergency unit with a myocardial infarction (MI), they’ll be diagnosed and then sent up to the CATH Lab at GPHC, where they’ll have an angiogram. Once we identify which arteries are blocked, if they need one stent, they’ll get one stent; if they need five, they’ll get five.

“Last year at the GPHC, we saw close to 600 patients, and the year before, we saw similar numbers,” Dr Anthony said.

He highlighted that Guyana’s healthcare system is advancing significantly with the introduction of new treatments, providing simpler access to free healthcare. This aligns with the government’s goal to reduce the number of Guyanese patients who must seek medical treatment abroad. He further noted that with increased local capacity, patients receiving stents can usually return home within 48 hours after their procedure.

In further efforts to enhance treatment for cardiovascular diseases, the government is currently in discussions with the George Subraj Family Foundation to develop a BMI organ bank. Minister Anthony stated that this initiative would significantly support kidney transplants performed by local surgeons.