Minister of Health, Honourable Dr. Frank Anthony, on Sunday extended heartfelt congratulations to the latest cohort of pharmacy graduates during the White Coat Ceremony held at Cara Lodge. The 22 graduates, who completed their studies in November 2023, spent the past year interning at various health facilities across Guyana and have now been officially licensed to practice. Commending them on their achievements, Dr. Anthony urged the new pharmacists to embrace the growing opportunities emerging within Guyana’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. “You are graduating at a very opportune time,” the Minister said. “We have just completed six new hospitals, each equipped with its own outpatient and inpatient pharmacy, and construction is underway on eight more across the country. These new facilities will require skilled and qualified pharmacists like you.”
Honourable Dr Frank Anthony, Minister of Health speaking at the White Coat Ceremony on Sunday
Dr. Anthony noted that hospitals are already being built in Regions One, Eight, and Nine, while designs are being finalized for a new facility in Region Seven. Plans are also advancing for a hospital in the Mazaruni area, alongside the development of Level 5 hospitals in New Amsterdam (Region Six), Ogle, where the Maternal and Child Health Hospital is being established (Region Four) and West Demerara (Region Three).
The Minister encouraged the graduates to continue their academic pursuits, emphasising the importance of advanced training and research in strengthening Guyana’s pharmaceutical and scientific capacity.
“Pharmacy is a dynamic and exciting field. We want to see more of you advancing to PhD-level studies, engaging in research and innovation. Medicine is constantly evolving, if you stop learning, you fall behind. Guyana needs pharmacists who are inquisitive, ambitious, and committed to driving scientific progress,” he said. Dr. Anthony outlined the government’s long-term vision to transform Guyana into a biomedical and life sciences hub, an initiative designed to foster pharmaceutical research, innovation, and manufacturing.“We aim to move beyond clinical care and become a producer of pharmaceuticals. Our biodiversity provides a rich source of natural compounds that can lead to new medical discoveries. We need scientists and pharmacists who can help us harness these resources responsibly and effectively,” he said.
To advance this goal, Guyana is preparing to sign an agreement with one of Europe’s largest life sciences parks, located in southern Belgium, to support the establishment of a local life sciences park. Additionally, the government is finalising an agreement with a French aid organisation to facilitate capacity-building initiatives, including postgraduate training opportunities in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and other European countries. The Minister also revealed that discussions are underway with several international pharmaceutical companies interested in partnering with Guyana to produce biosimilars, medicines equivalent to well-known drugs such as Ozempic. “These partnerships will open doors for industrial pharmacy and local pharmaceutical manufacturing. We are laying the groundwork for a future where Guyana not only delivers high-quality healthcare but also contributes to global pharmaceutical innovation,” Dr. Anthony said. As part of the health sector’s modernisation efforts, the Ministry is currently overhauling the Materials Management Unit (MMU) to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the storage and distribution of medicines across the public health system. “We are working with Ernst & Young, one of the world’s leading consulting firms, to modernize the MMU. This includes implementing advanced warehousing, inventory tracking, and medication dispensing systems. For too long, we have faced losses due to expired or unaccounted-for drugs. Through digitisation, we will be able to monitor stock in real time, prevent theft, and strengthen supply chain management,” the Minister announced. Construction has already commenced on five new regional warehouses designed to ensure medicines are stored and distributed under optimal conditions. Dr. Anthony emphasised that pharmacists will play a crucial role in this reform process, particularly in maintaining high standards of medication management and distribution across the regions. He further urged graduates to advocate for a more collaborative approach to patient care, highlighting that healthcare delivery in Guyana has often been too “doctor-centric.” “In modern healthcare, all professionals involved in patient care must work as a team,” he stated. “Pharmacists play a vital role, if you notice a prescription that could cause harmful drug interactions, you must have the confidence to raise it with the prescriber, respectfully but firmly. That is how we ensure patient safety and better outcomes.”
The newly licences pharmacist are joined by (seated from left) President of the Guyana Pharmacists Association, Mr. Kwame Waldron; Honourable Dr Frank Anthony, Minister of Health; Chair of the Pharmacy Council of Guyana, Dr. Karishma Jeeboo; Director of Medical and Professional Services at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Dr. Navin Rambaran and Chief Medical Officer (ag) of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Jeetendra Mohanlall among other special invitees.
The Minister also announced plans to establish a Quality Department within the Ministry of Health to review treatment charts, assess prescribing practices, and recommend improvements. He added that Guyana’s transition to electronic health records will integrate clinical decision support systems, technology designed to automatically flag potential prescription conflicts. Dr. Anthony underscored the urgent need to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), warning that the improper use of antibiotics poses a serious threat to global and national health. “Every time antibiotics are dispensed without a prescription, we contribute to antimicrobial resistance. The World Health Organization estimates that nearly eight million people could die in the coming years due to AMR. We have already seen cases in Guyana where patients failed to respond to any available antibiotic,” he cautioned.
He noted that with major pharmaceutical companies scaling back investment in antibiotic development due to low profitability, the crisis requires a coordinated response from health professionals. The Minister called on pharmacists to help curb antibiotic misuse, both in human medicine and within the poultry industry, where overuse remains a concern. In closing, Dr. Anthony urged the graduates to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethics in their practice.
“We must change the culture where patients receive less than their full prescription or where antibiotics are sold without oversight. If we want to deliver better care, it is up to all of us to make it happen. As new pharmacists, we expect you to lead by example,” he said. Meanwhile, Chair of the Pharmacy Council of Guyana, Dr. Karishma Jeeboo, reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to strengthening pharmacy education, professional standards, and regulatory oversight as she addressed the newly licensed pharmacists. Dr. Jeeboo explained that, in keeping with the Pharmacy Practitioners’ Act of 2003, the Pharmacy Council of Guyana plays a central role in regulating and supervising the internship programme for graduates of recognised pharmacy institutions. In recent years, the Council has introduced several key initiatives to enhance the internship experience. These include expanding training sites beyond the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to regional health facilities, revising the internship manual, and enriching intern activities through structured patient care plans, medication histories, and discharge counselling.
Additionally, the Council implemented a structured exit examination, which all current graduates successfully completed, ensuring that interns demonstrate the competencies required for professional pharmacy practice. Dr. Jeeboo noted that the Council intends to streamline preceptorship by providing structured training and continuing education opportunities for preceptors, while also expanding internship rotations to include areas beyond clinical pharmacy practice.
As part of its ongoing mandate, the Pharmacy Council is also reviewing and updating the regulations under the Pharmacy Practitioners’ Act, 2003, and pursuing amendments to reflect the evolving scope and responsibilities of pharmacists in Guyana. Notably, in August 2025, the Pharmacy Council of Guyana received the Caribbean Association of Pharmacists’ Excellence in Regulatory Affairs Award, which recognises Pharmacy Councils and Inspectors across the region who demonstrate exceptional dedication to ethical standards and regulatory excellence in advancing the profession and protecting public health. Also in attendance at the White Coat Ceremony were Chief Medical Officer (ag) of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Jeetendra Mohanlall; Director of Medical and Professional Services at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Dr. Navin Rambaran; and President of the Guyana Pharmacists Association, Mr. Kwame Waldron.