In a scathing column, Dr. Mark Devonish, a Guyanese-born medical professional with expertise in acute medicine, has criticised the government’s handling of the country’s healthcare system, calling it “a state of crisis.” The comments come in the wake of President Irfaan Ali’s ambitious promise to construct and operationalise 12 state-of-the-art regional hospitals by 2028, and a GY$143.2 billion to the health sector.
Dr. Devonish, however, is unimpressed by the government’s claims and warns that the health sector remains mired in inefficiency and corruption.
Devonish, who is based in the United Kingdom, holds qualifications including an MBBS, MSc, and memberships with the Royal College of Physicians, condemned the state of healthcare delivery in Guyana, citing a litany of failures under the leadership of Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony.
The physician painted a grim picture of the sector, drawing attention to overcrowding in emergency departments and the country’s shockingly high maternal and neonatal mortality rates.
“If a ballot were taken on the status of our health sector, it’s more likely than not, the masses would unanimously vote it’s in a state of crisis,” Dr. Devonish wrote. He pointed out the severe overcrowding at the country’s tertiary hospital, where the emergency department can only accommodate half the number of patients at a time.
He stressed that this capacity limitation, combined with long waiting times and a lack of proper patient flow management, exacerbates the already dire situation.
Dr. Devonish did not hold back in his criticism of Minister Dr. Frank Anthony’s claims of a “world-class” healthcare system. The minister has frequently boasted about a $143 billion budgetary allocation for the health sector, coupled with various policies aimed at improving services.
However, Dr. Devonish argued that the evidence tells a different story. He cited the country’s low life expectancy, high maternal and neonatal mortality rates, and the increasing crude death rate as clear indicators that the sector is far from world-class.
According to the World Bank Guyana’s Infant Mortality Rate in 2021 was 23.2 per 1,000 live births, which is higher than the Latin America and Caribbean average of 14 per 1,000 live births. For the under-5 Mortality Rate that figure is 28 per 1,000 live births in 2021, compared to the regional average of 16. Guyana’s crude death rate is approximately 7.8 deaths per 1,000 people in 2022, indicating a rising trend.
Moreover, Dr. Devonish highlighted the concerning decline in the number of nurses, citing the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s vacancy of over 700 nursing positions. This shortage, he argues, further compounds the struggles of an already overwhelmed health system. The country’s hospital bed availability is also at a dismal 36 beds per 10,000 population, far below international standards, and patient overcrowding has led to incidents of bed sharing.
Despite these pressing issues, Dr. Devonish accuses the government of indulging in “medical propaganda,” using public relations tactics to distract from the grim realities of the healthcare system. He argued that, while officials trumpet progress, the masses continue to suffer. He pointed out that young mothers, children, and individuals with chronic diseases like diabetes are among those bearing the brunt of the government’s failure to deliver meaningful healthcare reform.
“Many of our young mothers and newborns are dying in childbirth… Many of our children are dying from basic childhood ailments, including malnutrition,” Dr. Devonish said. He also pointed to premature deaths from cardiovascular disease and the rising rates of amputations among diabetics as further evidence of the government’s failure.
According to a recent UNICEF Report 20 percent of children in Guyana suffer from “severe food poverty,” and an additional 40% of children experience “moderate food poverty.” The figures point to the fact that in the world’s fastest growing economy and richest per capita, families in Guyana cannot afford more than two food groups per day, and many children are only receiving half of the required daily nutrition.
Dr. Devonish did not shy away from calling out corruption as a major factor contributing to the deterioration of the healthcare system. Despite the government’s allocation of nearly $400 billion for healthcare between 2020 and 2024, Dr. Devonish argued that the sector has made little progress in terms of positive health outcomes. “Rampant corruption is blighting this PPP health sector,” he said, attributing the lack of progress to mismanagement and financial misappropriations.
Devonish’s column paints a picture of a healthcare system in desperate need of reform. He argues that despite the government’s promises and significant financial investments, the sector has continued to decline under the current leadership, leaving the Guyanese people to bear the consequences. His critique underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes in Guyana.
