The new US$6.9 million College of Medical Sciences building at the University of Guyana was commissioned today by President Irfaan Ali.

With funding from the Government of Guyana and the World Bank, the facility includes a 200-capacity lecture theatre and several science and research laboratories.

President Ali said the multimillion-dollar project was conceptualized in 2013.

However, it was not until 2017 that the project loan agreement with the World Bank was signed. Though the agreement was in place, the project faced a number of delays that were attributed in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2023, the sod was turned for the new building, triggering the start of construction.

“Unfortunately, we were in the period of COVID at the same time, and many countries were negotiating with the World Bank the reassignment of resources to COVID programmes. We were one of the only countries, and the World Bank, and IDB will tell you this, who kept our portfolio intact whilst at the same time investing in COVID and developing one of the best COVID response system here, regionally and internationally. When we did that, we were able to keep this project on track and in what I would say historic time, we rescheduled the implementation timeline. We went on accelerated negotiations, had the project signed and completed, and here we are today. That is the project timeline, and it’s important for us to understand that,” the President said.

He challenged students of the College of Medical Sciences to capitalize on the high level of resources available within the institute to champion research, and to better position the University on the international stage.

“The Medical School, Medical College now, must be able to produce high quality papers. Must be able to be part of an international network in which we can punch pound for pound, in which we can position ourselves as a leader. So, these investments are not just another piece of investment. We’re investing in the best because there is a vision behind it. There is a strategy behind it,” the President said.

Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Dr. Paloma Mohamed said the project is the culmination of decades of needs filled.

“It has taken us about 10 years to design, redesign and adjust the requirements. Changes have been made, new programmes have been added, and in the last five years, we expanded our numbers adding 1000 students overall a year. One of the only universities in this region to have done that. And it is a slow march to fulfilling the university’s first blue print aspirational goal of at least one graduate per household,” the Vice Chancellor said.

The Vice Chancellor said with the building now completed, the College of Medical Sciences would now be able to accept 40% more students than it previously accepted into the medical programme.

“We spoke of the heartache of so many students who apply to our medical school every year, students that we tell, if you work hard, you do well and you have the grades this country is going to support your dreams, and then when they would have applied with the grades we would have had to say to about two-thirds of them, we are sorry, you have made the grade but we can’t take you, we don’t have the space. I believe that you Mr President, minister, everybody in this country, who holds a posiiton, would have had calls from parents, begging, crying, students who have indicated that they would do anything to get into the medical school, and now, even though we still can’t take every single person who can apply, I am happy to say, this building today, allows us to take in 40% more students in the medical school,” the Vice Chancellor said.

The college was built by Shandong Hi-Speed Dejian Group Co. Ltd.

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