Optique Vision Care opens Guyana’s first specialty Eye Hospital

Apr 19, 2026 News

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Kaieteur Sports – Optique Vision Care, a private optical company, on Friday officially opened Guyana’s first specialty eye hospital, which is located at 350 New Market Street, Georgetown.

Optique Eye Hospital, which represents an investment of $1 billion, was opened by President Irfaan Ali alongside Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, the Optique team and other officials.

Delivering the feature address, President Ali said the opening of Optique Eye Hospital fits perfectly into the national vision of a world-class healthcare system.

This hospital, he said, expands national capacity, it increases patients’ choice, it creates employment, encourages new technologies and professional training, raises standard and sends a message to investors everywhere that Guyana is ready for world-class healthcare development.

“This investment opens new possibilities for health care in Guyana, it is a signal of confidence in our country, confidence in our economy, and confidence in the future of our people, and, more importantly, a forward movement in the direction of accessible and quality health care,” the President stated.

According to the head-of-state, in Guyana, a lot of attention is being focused nationally on what is being done by government in transforming healthcare.

“A lot of attention has been pointed to the many hospitals we’re building, the acquisition of state-of-the-art diagnostic and other medical equipment, the expansion of training for nurses and medical professionals, and the improvement of medical clinics across Guyana. But equally notable have been the significant investments that are being made in private health care services,” he noted.

Turning his attention to private healthcare services, the President stated that the construction of the eye hospital stands as proof of the strides that are being made by private health care providers.

This, he shared, reflects the fact that when the private sector invests in health care, the entire nation benefits.

“Private health care providers play an essential role in expanding services, raising standards, reducing waiting times, introducing new technologies, and importantly, aligning with national goals, they complement national health care system broaden patient choice and create health competition that improves quality,” he explained.

Beyond that, he noted, that private health care investment also lays the foundation for the country’s vision of becoming a medical tourism.

According to President Ali, Guyana wants to become a prime destination for medical tourism, and he wants the country to be known not only for its natural beauty, its energy potential and its economic growth, but also for excellence in healthcare services.

“We want people from across the Caribbean, from the Diaspora, from North America and beyond, to look to Guyana as a place where they can receive high quality, affordable, efficient, modern medical care,” he expressed.

Further, he encouraged the private sector to continue to drive this process at an even faster pace.

He noted that at the level of public health care, the government’s priority remains clear and the focus is on increasing access and increasing the quality of medical services to the population.

“Government must ensure that health care reaches every citizen, whether in the coastline, in hinterland communities, in urban centers or rural villages. Government must continue to invest in hospitals, clinics, personal equipment, medicines and preventative care. We’re not here to compete with or crowd out the private sector. We are here to support such investments. We are here to encourage quality health care. We are held here to build stronger partnerships between public and private providers in delivering health care services to our people,” he stated.

President Ali noted that the government looks forward to working with responsible private healthcare providers who share a commitment to quality, affordability, ethics and national development.

“We look forward to the day when Guyana, through strong public private partnerships, will have the best medical tourism programme in this region,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Health Dr. Anthony recalled that when the government launched the Eye Voucher initiative in 2024, Optique Vision Care was one of the first companies that agreed to be part of the programme which saw thousands of persons cross the country benefitting.

Noting the quality of work of the company, not only in testing but in terms of surgeries, the Minister said that the hospital “is going to be adding a significant contribution to the development of eye care in Guyana.”

Chief Executive Officer of Optique, Dhani Narine said that the institution stands not just on infrastructure, but on the foundation of purpose and shared vision.

He noted that from the very beginning, the company’s goal was simple, to create a place where people in Guyana can access quality eye care with confidence, a place where patients feel comfortable, respected and genuinely cared for.

“Today, that vision is not only a reality, but we have broadened the scope to include all aspects of eye care in Guyana,” he stated.

Further, he disclosed that Optique’s commitment is to not only deliver eye care, but to elevate the standards of what is possible within Guyana and the Caribbean.

Narine said that the project demonstrates that with the right partnership, a friendly investment climate offered by the government of Guyana and commitment, that highly complex subspecialty procedures can be performed locally at an international standard.

“We remain committed to investing in advance of all services so that no child or adult has to leave the country for sight saving care when it can be delivered safely and effectively at home, because we can improve vision,” he told the gathering.

During his remarks, he also expressed gratitude to the government and other stakeholders for their support and partnership.

“Through our collaboration with the government of Guyana, we were able to align the goals of this project by accessing incentives provided through the Office for Investment, which significantly reduced our capital expenditure for a venture like this,” he mentioned.

 

 

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• eye hospital, optical, Optique Vision Care, specialty Eye Hospital

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