Nationwide prostate cancer screening to begin soon

The government will soon launch a large-scale national initiative in collaboration with one of its international partners and Men on Mission (MoM) to screen males aged 45 and older for prostate cancer across the country.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali made the announcement during the launch of the Universal Healthcare Voucher on Saturday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Liliendaal.

President Dr Irfaan Ali

“…Early detection gives you a better chance of achieving the best outcome. We are already working on this. We spent an entire day with the team from Northwell [Health] developing a strategy to address prostate, breast, and colon cancer. We are going to map out an early detection, strategic approach to national screening and treatment,” the Head of State emphasised.

In 2024, the government conducted over 13,600 prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests nationwide. Of this number, 2,607 men had elevated PSA levels, 536 biopsies were performed, and 126 new prostate cancer cases were detected.

He also highlighted that nearly 10,000 women have benefitted from free cervical cancer screening.

“We can significantly reduce deaths from prostate cancer, breast cancer, and cervical cancer because early detection is the key. With data, early detection, and early treatment, we can dramatically decrease mortality rates for all three,” he noted.

Alongside these partnerships, the government is making substantial investments in cutting-edge medical technology and equipment for treatment.

The President commended the private sector for its investments in healthcare, which are aimed at enhancing service delivery.

“We have seen significant investment from the private sector in healthcare, improving service levels and enhancing the environments in which healthcare is delivered. We continue to facilitate this investment so that our health ecosystem, both public and private, can work seamlessly to provide the best healthcare for our people,” President Ali stated.

Guyana’s healthcare system is set to benefit not only the local population but also the wider Caribbean region.

“Our healthcare system is designed to support the region and to deliver global health services here in Guyana. That is why international connectivity and partnerships are so crucial. We see Guyana as an attractive destination for global healthcare services. That is what we are building—a global market,” he asserted.

President Ali further stated that the Ministry of Health continues to strengthen its partnerships with some of the world’s leading health institutions.

These robust collaborations are evidence of a results-driven system and a government committed to leveraging Guyana’s best available expertise to achieve the most favourable outcomes.

“And that did not happen easily. It required hard work, leadership, strategic foreign policy, and the maximum and optimal utilisation of time when attending international forums and meetings… Our health foreign policy has brought tremendous goodwill and results for our country. We must applaud that,” he stressed. (DPI)