China pushes skills, technology in Guyana’s digital healthcare drive

China is encouraging Guyana to focus not only on acquiring new technology for its healthcare system, but also on building the skills needed to effectively use and manage that technology.

The message came from the Chinese Embassy in Guyana as a seminar on the digital development of Guyana’s healthcare sector concluded, bringing together health officials, experts and participants involved in the programme.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, a representative of the Chinese Embassy said Guyana’s healthcare sector is developing rapidly, with digitalisation and smart technologies expected to play an increasingly important role in improving services and strengthening the management of the sector.

But the Embassy stressed that digital transformation goes beyond purchasing new equipment.

“Digital transformation is not simply about new equipment or new technology. It is about new ideas, better processes, and more effective management,” the representative said.

The Embassy argued that the success of Guyana’s digital healthcare transformation will ultimately depend on having professionals who understand the technology, know how to apply it and can manage it effectively.

The seminar was organised with the involvement of Guyana’s Ministry of Health and China Sinopharm International Corporation, with the programme focused on knowledge-sharing and capacity building.

The Chinese Embassy said the training is intended to help Guyanese professionals translate what they have learned into practical skills that can be applied within the healthcare system.

The Embassy described training and capacity building as an important part of China-Guyana cooperation, saying such programmes can help create longer-term technical capacity rather than simply providing equipment.

“This is also the value of training and capacity building,” the representative said, invoking the Chinese saying: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

The Embassy said the objective is to turn the knowledge gained through programmes such as the seminar into professional competence and stronger institutional capacity.

It also linked the training to broader China-Guyana cooperation under the Belt and Road framework.

The closing ceremony was attended by Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Dr Cerdel McWatt, Sinopharm International Corporation representative Si Yu, health professionals, experts and other participants.

The Chinese Embassy said it hopes the participants will put their training into practice and contribute to the continued development of Guyana’s healthcare system.

The programme also comes as Guyana continues to expand its use of technology across public services, including efforts to modernise healthcare delivery and improve the management of health services.

The Embassy said strengthening the skills of local professionals will be critical to ensuring that digital investments translate into practical improvements in healthcare.

The Chinese side also used the occasion to highlight the people-to-people dimension of the relationship, noting that some participants have travelled to China for training while others took part in programmes in Guyana.

The Embassy said these exchanges form part of the broader China-Guyana relationship and provide opportunities for professionals from both countries to share knowledge and experience.