Dear Editor,
As per the 2026 Guyana Budget, the country’s Health Sector was allocated G$161.1 billion, with the aim focusing on “… modernising services, expanding telemedicine, upgrading medical equipment, and enhancing drug distribution”. What was vital, and quite a precocious move, were the planned “key investments” – including AI-supported diagnostics, a national electronic health record system, and new regional hospital ambulances to improve patient care access.
All this came back to me as I followed the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Istanbul, Turkey, where Minister Kwame McCoy really “… underscored that the PPP/C Government has already positioned itself to participate meaningfully in the global digital economy through sustained investments in connectivity and digital infrastructure over the past five years. “ As I said, and as the budget indicates, there will be a gathering momentum in this aspect of Medicare in Guyana.
In his charge, moving from the parochial to the global, McCoy insisted that “Parliaments must act now, as AI is reshaping governance since artificial intelligence is no longer a distant policy debate but a ‘present governance reality’, therefore demanding urgent legislative action, as the window to shape AI governance is rapidly narrowing.” Compressing this, McCoy is simply but firmly asking that “… Governments move decisively to ensure that technological advancement is commensurate with responsive and accountable legislative frameworks.”
I have a strong conviction that Minister McCoy was building on what President Irfan Ali said just recently at a health seminar in conjunction with the Mount Sinai Guyana Healthcare Initiative. The Guyanese leader was emphatic that “Guyana’s vision of a world-class health system cannot be achieved without the integration of artificial intelligence” and made it clear that the question was no longer about “whether” AI will shape healthcare, but “how” it will be structured, controlled, and integrated into the country’s development strategy.
So, at this 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, the Minister boldly stated that “artificial intelligence is no longer a future policy issue; it is a present governance reality shaping how citizens access information, services, and opportunities,” thus urging parliaments globally to “close the gap between technological advancement and legislative responsiveness, ensuring innovation is anchored in democratic accountability. “ After all, Guyanese have a constitutional right to healthcare, established by Article 24 of the Constitution, which ensures free medical attention.
Editor, Guyana is in fast-track mode in this modern era, as the country has already established three fibre optic submarine cable connections, expanded high-speed broadband nationwide, and licensed low-earth orbit satellite services to reach remote communities. McCoy detailed that “… these developments have shifted connectivity from a long-standing constraint to a strategic enabler for economic growth and AI integration.” I can add that, in addition, the Guyana Government has a continuous aggressive push to digitise public services, resulting in approximately 70 services now being available online, including tax systems, citizen registration, and public benefit programmes.
However, as the Minister warned, “… alongside opportunity comes risk, pointing to the growing threat of misinformation, data privacy breaches, algorithmic bias, and emerging harms such as AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII).” Hence, “Parliaments must move beyond general AI discussions to establish specific legal protections and ensure victim-centred remedies and enforcement mechanisms.”
I must mention that what came from both the President and the Minister is that Guyana’s healthcare, in a digital world, augurs well indeed, as the United Nations (UN), particularly through the World Health Organization (WHO), is strongly advocating for the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, viewing it as a transformative tool to improve global health outcomes, accelerate diagnostics, and achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.
Additionally, the caveat from the Minister was timely, as the UN is emphatic that “AI must be developed and deployed ethically, securely, and equitably, prioritising human well-being and mitigating risks such as bias and data privacy breaches.”
Readers, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is indeed transforming global Medicare in areas such as clinical diagnostics and disease management, early detection of chronic diseases, and remote monitoring, among other domains, and Guyana will take its place globally.