Guyana Health Ministry expands eye care vouchers to all citizens

All citizens in Guyana can now access eye care support under the Ministry of Health’s expanded healthcare voucher programme, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 67 private healthcare providers on Thursday.

The expansion removes previous age restrictions that limited the service to persons 18 years and younger and those 50 years and older. Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, said anyone requiring an eye test can now receive one through the programme and, if needed, obtain spectacles.

Eye care vouchers include an eye test voucher valued at $2,000 and a spectacles voucher worth $15,000. Beneficiaries must cover any costs exceeding the voucher value. Other vouchers in the programme include Universal Health and Cervical Cancer screening vouchers.

Thursday’s MOU signing marks the third consecutive year of the initiative. In 2025, 326,868 vouchers were used, reflecting strong public demand for accessible healthcare. Through the eye care programme, roughly 1,200 persons with cataracts received treatment.

The cervical cancer screening voucher, valued at $8,000, has supported HPV testing for 20,000 women over the past two years, with a 19% positivity rate. Dr. Anthony urged participation to double to 40,000 women by the end of the year.

Universal health vouchers, valued at $10,000, are available for both children and adults. In total, 13,000 children and 91,000 adults benefited, with women making up 64% of adult users. The minister encouraged more men to access the service.

The programme also supports chronic disease monitoring: about 37,000 persons received HbA1c testing, with nearly 8,000 showing elevated levels. Dr. Anthony said the data allows the ministry to track health trends by region, locality, and gender, strengthening preventative care.

While the programme continues to grow, challenges remain in hinterland communities. Dr. Anthony urged private providers to conduct outreach to ensure equitable access and announced plans to consider adding abdominal ultrasound services in the future.