Minister of Health, Frank Anthony, officially inaugurated a new, state-of-the-art mammogram machine at the Linden Hospital Complex on Thursday, February 13, 2025. This is considered an important milestone in expanding breast cancer screening services across the country. In Guyana Breast cancer is said to be the most common cancer in women, accounting for approximately 17 % of cancer cases, though analysts believe the figure may be higher given poor recording keeping and absence of seeking medical attention.
The new equipment will dramatically enhance access to early breast cancer detection for residents of Region 10 and surrounding areas. Before this installation, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) was the sole public health facility offering mammography services. With this addition to Linden, local residents will no longer have to travel long distances for crucial screening, ensuring earlier detection of potential health issues.
In his address at the commissioning ceremony, Dr. Anthony emphasised the importance of early detection in reducing cancer-related mortality. “For many years, we’ve discussed the need for a structured cancer program, and now we are actively implementing it. By placing mammography machines in every region, we are ensuring that individuals have easier access to screening services,” he stated.
The Minister also highlighted the government’s ongoing commitment to improving cancer care in Guyana, noting significant progress in reducing waiting times for diagnostic results.
Drawing greater attention to the gravity of the poor healthcare delivery in Guyana, Minister Anthony noted that in the past patients faced delays of over a month to receive biopsy results, this number has been reduced to three to seven days.
But in outlying areas where people have to ensure expensive travel cost and accommodation to visit Georgetown to have such procedures done these are detrimental factors to accessing and receiving timely intervention.
Oil rich Guyana continues to lag behind its Latin American and Caribbean counterparts in health care delivery, according to a recent World Bank report.
