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with renewed focus on community care and technology As Guyana’s Medex Programme marks its 48th anniversary, Chief Medex in the Regional Health Services Division Carleen Howard-Mohabir reflected on the nearly five decades of service that has transformed healthcare delivery across the country; particularly in hinterland and riverine communities where access to doctors remains limited. Speaking during a recent interview on the Ministry of Health’s “Health Matters” programme, Howard-Mohabir described the milestone as “an exciting time for the profession” and highlighted the evolution of the Medex Programme, which has expanded its training capacity, strengthened community outreach, and integrated new technologies to better serve patients in all ten administrative regions. The Medex Programme was first introduced in 1977 to fill critical gaps in primary healthcare, particularly in rural areas. Over the years, it has evolved from a model that relied on existing nurses and midwives to one that also recruited new students with a secondary or university education. “In 2006, we launched the alternative pathway, allowing young people fresh out of CXC or university to apply,” Howard-Mohabir explained. “That helped us avoid the loss of skilled nurses from the health system while expanding training opportunities for new entrants.”
