Guyana Medical Relief (G.M.R.) was formed by a small group of concerned Guyanese in 1984 to provide sponsorship, (cost of packaging and shipping), for urgently needed medical supplies and equipment to Guyana. 

We choose Direct Relief International, (D.R.I.) a California-based agency, because of its experience in providing worldwide medical assistance for over 57 years as our helpmate. All of the medical supplies that we ship to hospitals in Guyana are donated by U.S. manufacturers, hospitals, and medical professionals. We do not purchase any medical supplies, however, we do need funds to pay for transportation to these hospitals.

Guyana Medical Relief’s other significant role is to manage the monitoring of these shipments to make sure that they arrive at the hospitals in a timely manner and that receipt of the shipments are acknowledged by the hospitals.  Direct Relief International (D.R.I.) sends a copy of the bill of lading to Guyana Medical Relief, to each receiving hospital and to the consignee in Guyana. On arrival in Georgetown, each shipment is cleared unopened, by the consignee for Guyana Medical Relief, who is the Director of Procurement for the Ministry of Health.  The consignee informs the hospitals of the shipments’ arrival and arranges transportation of the shipping containers to them.  The hospitals check the shipment against the bill of lading previously received from D.R.I.  They must report confirmation of all items received to Guyana Medical Relief.  This confirmation report is sent to D.R.I. for their records.  Each hospital must confirm receipt in order to receive another shipment.

Activities in Guyana

Guyana is located in northern South America between Suriname and Venezuela.  Thirty percent of its population of 750,000 lacks sustainable access to safe sanitation. Seventeen percent lack sustainable access to safe water supplies. Primary public health problems in Guyana include HIV/AIDS, prenatal conditions including low birth weight and birth trauma, as well as heart disease and digestive diseases. Direct Relief has provided over $26.2 million (wholesale) in medical material assistance to Guyana since 2000, focusing on basic medical supplies. Direct Relief works in Guyana primarily with Guyana Medical Relief, an expatriate organization based in Los Angeles, CA. Guyana Medical Relief helps to equip a network of six public hospitals and two nonprofit hospitals throughout the country with basic medical supplies. Assistance provided by Direct Relief has included basic medicines, nutritional supplements, first aid materials, surgical equipment, surgical supplies, hospital beds, wheelchairs, and educational materials.