Guyana leading CARICOM in kidney transplant surgery

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):

Guyana is now the leading kidney transplant country within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), according to Adviser to the Minister of Health and Guyana’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Dr Leslie Ramsammy.

Ramsammy noted the country’s achievement, explaining that with the health of citizens being the number one priority and the crucial investment, the government has been making, more medications and modern services are becoming available.

“Guyana has recently upped its own game when it comes to kidney-replacement therapy. This is what people generally know as dialysis and kidney transplant. We have become the leading kidney transplant country in CARICOM. In 2024, we are expanding the programme and making it a centre of excellence,” Ramsammy said.

One of the many contributing factors to this is the increase in access to dialysis treatment for patients.

This comes in the form of the subvention that the government provides annually for each person who is in need of dialysis treatment.

The rolling out of dialysis centres across the country with modern machines, equipment, and medications has also contributed significantly to this attainment.

The adviser noted that to keep the country on track with this achievement, the ministry is in the process of not only rolling out medications such as the HbA1C to persons who are already diagnosed with the disease, but also implementing it within the primary healthcare system.

Regular testing on the most vulnerable populations will also be done.

“So Guyana is moving forward, we are adopting revolutionary and new approaches to kidney health,” Ramsammy said.

“We are adding our own dimensions because we want kidney health to be in every home in this country. We have to start medications early. Everyone with kidney disease must be exposed to modern testing and medications.”