Guyana’s Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony has publicly guaranteed the security of citizens’ digitally stored health information, despite the nation’s 2023 Data Protection Act remaining unimplemented. The assurance came during Tuesday’s formal inauguration of the Guyana Digital Health Training Institute (GDHTI), where Anthony emphasized existing protective measures.
“We have systems in place, we have protocols in place. We’ve done a number of regulations in collaboration with this team from Mount Sinai so health data follows these protocols. This information is not divulged to the general public, and we don’t want it to be because that’s how we will build trust with our patients,” Anthony stated in a press briefing.
The Minister addressed growing concerns from opposition party APNU, which recently highlighted the absence of the data protection law’s commencement order. Anthony confirmed the Health Ministry’s advocacy for the legislation and expressed confidence that implementation would occur “shortly,” connecting the timeline to the new institute’s training progression and data collection processes.
The digital health infrastructure gained significant momentum earlier this year through a $3.3 million partnership with UK-based RioMed Limited to establish a comprehensive electronic health records system. This network will enable seamless information sharing across public healthcare providers, potentially revolutionizing patient treatment efficiency. Under the pending legislation, unauthorized access to private patient information could result in substantial penalties—up to GY$20 million for individuals and GY$100 million for corporate entities.