In a significant development for medical education in Guyana, President Irfaan Ali announced on Sunday that discussions are in progress to establish the University of the West Indies’ (UWI) School of Medicine in the country.
The school will be located in East Berbice-Corentyne, in Region Six.
There is no timeline yet for the opening of the UWI School of Medicine in Guyana.
A milestone in healthcare infrastructure
President Ali shared this exciting news during the commissioning ceremony of the Pathology Lab at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
This development follows closely on the heels of the groundbreaking ceremony for the New Amsterdam Hospital, where President Ali revealed plans for a dedicated building to accommodate academic activities.
A vision shared: UWI partners with Guyana
President Ali emphasized the collaborative nature of this endeavor, stating, “When we launched the New Amsterdam Hospital, we said that in that facility we negotiated a building for teaching services, and that message went out regionally and globally. Today, I’m pleased to inform you that the University of the West Indies School of Medicine has now approached us to be part of this vision in bringing their campus to Guyana and negotiations and discussions would have commenced.”
Promoting equitable access to quality education
Ali added that in the negotiations, they are now working on ensuring that the rates are the same as local students in Trinidad and Tobago so there will be “equity and quality matched together.”
Acknowledging the existence of the University of Guyana’s School of Medicine, President Ali recognized the importance of competition in fostering continuous improvement.
He stated that “Competition is a part of life and a necessity in improving quality.”
