As the government advances the expansion of healthcare infrastructure, efforts are being accelerated to boost the system with over 5,400 skilled personnel this year. This was revealed by the Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, during the presentation of the 2026 Budget in the National Assembly on Monday.
The minister said works will be advanced for two health sciences training complexes and their accompanying dormitories in Suddie and New Amsterdam, for which $1 billion is budgeted in 2026.
With respect to training, he said this was a key component of the agenda for 2025, noting, “We have trained through the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) residency programme, a total of more than 30 doctors in 2025.” He was keen to note that this training will continue in 2026, with an additional 162 doctors specialising in various fields, including neurosurgery, urology, anaesthesia and intensive care.”
Further to this, Minister Singh said the government has increased capacity for the UG College of Medical Sciences by accommodating 144 additional students in Region 3. He added that a Pre-med programme will be available in Regions 2, 3, 6 and 9, thereby allowing the expansion of educational opportunities in these regions. Another critical initiative, he said, was the introduction of the Digital Health Training Institute to train professionals in health informatics and to provide permanent jobs within the public health sector.
With these efforts, among others, Minister Singh said the government was able to train 2,862 nursing and allied health professionals. In 2026, an additional 5,440 persons will be added to the healthcare system.
Over the next five years, Minister Singh said the government plans to recruit and train more healthcare professionals, including medical specialists. He said this will include bringing on board at least 6,000 nurses to collaborate with private and strategic stakeholders.