Chinese Government sends 19th medical team to Guyana

On September 22, 2023, the Chinese Government dispatched the 19th Chinese Medical Brigade to Guyana for a one-year medical mission.

After securing Guyanese medical practitioner certification on October 27, 2023, the team officially commenced work at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the Linden Hospital Complex on October 30, 2023. Led by General Surgeon Dr.

Zhao Changyong, the 14-member team specialized in general surgery, plastic surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, pediatrics, nephrology, ophthalmology, pathology, and medical imaging.

During their service, the team treated nearly 13,000 patients, performed over 200 surgeries, 2,000 procedures, and conducted 14 medical outreaches in remote and Indigenous communities, benefiting more than 3,400 individuals.

In addition to clinical care, the brigade launched the Guyana Cervical Cancer Screening Project in collaboration with the Guyanese Ministry of Health, donating screening equipment and training local healthcare workers.

They also continued the standardized clinical training program initiated by the 18th medical team, graduating the third cohort of Guyanese resident doctors in September 2024 (see Record ID#107970).

Their mission concluded with a farewell ceremony on September 21, 2024, and formal departure from Guyana on September 25, 2024.

Since the arrival of the first Chinese Medical Team on July 30, 1993, a total of 279 experts across 19 medical brigades have been dispatched to Guyana, marking 31-years of medical exchange and clinical cooperation between the two countries.