600 nurses needed in Essequibo Coast amid healthcare expansion – Min. Anthony

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony has projected a need for 600 nurses on the Essequibo Coast to support the region’s evolving healthcare landscape.

With rapid transformations in the sector and new healthcare infrastructures underway, the demand for skilled nurses is anticipated to grow significantly, particularly in Region Two.

According to the minister, the upcoming completion of the new Lima Hospital and the expansion of services at other facilities on the coast will intensify the demand for nursing professionals.

To address this, the government has been heavily investing in the Professional Hybrid Nurses Programme, which has recruited nearly 1,200 participants since its launch in June last year.

This programme combines online theoretical training with practical in-person sessions to accelerate and enhance nurse training.

“If we are going to improve the quality of services then we have to get more nurses that are qualified into the system,” Minister Anthony emphasised.

Minister Anthony underscored the government’s initiatives to address the growing need for trained nurses.

He highlighted that a new nursing school is under construction within the hospital’s compound to meet this demand.

“Our intention is to have more students coming in to have that in-person experience… We are planning to have a computer room in the new nursing school and lecture theatres to make learning easier,” the health minister pointed out.

Currently, Guyana’s three nursing schools—Georgetown, New Amsterdam, and Linden—can train only about 200 students annually.

The new school at Suddie will also facilitate the Continued Nursing Education course, a recent requirement for nursing professionals.

Beyond infrastructure expansion, the government is intensifying the nursing programme.

The health minister explained that the ministry is developing specialised training tracks for registered nurses, enabling them to pursue careers in areas such as critical care, neonatal care, and surgical nursing.

This initiative aims to enhance career advancement opportunities within the nursing sector and improve service quality in specific healthcare fields.

“If we are going to do critical care here in Essequibo, then we will need critical care nurses. If we are going to offer better neonatal care then we need neonatal care nurses. This also goes for surgical care and so forth,” Dr Anthony said.

He expressed confidence that these infrastructure developments and programme enhancements will significantly improve the standard of nursing across the country. [DPI]