By Nakasia Logan | November 10, 2024
In observance of Men’s Health Month, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Caribbean Urology Association, hosted the 26th Annual Men’s Health International Conference.
The event aimed to raise awareness of prostate cancer and other health issues affecting men, with a special focus on the critical importance of early detection and prevention.
Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Health, opened the conference by commending the initiative and underscoring the government’s commitment to addressing men’s health challenges in Guyana.
He highlighted the government’s focus on expanding access to prostate screening, especially in remote regions.
The government is working to build the capacity of regional laboratories to ensure more men have access to Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) tests.
Dr. Anthony pointed out that older men, particularly those aged 60 and above, are seeing a higher incidence of prostate cancer, with regions like 4, 6, and 3 showing notable cases.
Expanding prostate screening services will help identify more cases across the country.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Robbie Rambarran, also spoke at the event, applauding recent investments in upgrading urological technology.
Rambarran highlighted the commissioning of a state-of-the-art pathology lab at GPHC, which has significantly reduced diagnostic turnaround time for prostate and other cancers from 30-35 days to just 5-7 days.
The goal is to further reduce this time, ensuring quicker treatment and better outcomes for patients.
Minister Anthony also announced ongoing partnerships with renowned international institutions, including the MD Anderson Cancer Center and Mount Sinai, to bring specialized oncology care and advanced medical services to Guyana.
These partnerships aim to establish a comprehensive oncology center that will offer various treatment modalities to local patients.
Another major initiative discussed during the conference was the transition to an electronic health records system, which will help streamline patient processing, reduce waiting times, and improve overall hospital efficiency.
The 26th Annual International Conference of the Caribbean Urology Association, held at the Pegasus Corporate Suites, was a significant event aimed at addressing the most pressing men’s health issues, particularly prostate cancer.