About Cancer Institute of Guyana


George Nellamattathil

CEO | Cancer Institute of Guyana

George Nellamattathil began his career in Medical Imaging in the year 1986. As a medical imaging professional and an educator, he has served in Radiology administrative positions at various prestigious institutions such as the University of Illinois and Illinois Masonic Hospital in Chicago. In 2001 he established his own outpatient medical imaging center in Chicago and hence expanded his business to several centers in Chicagoland and other states in the United States.

In 2004 along with his long- time associate and a Guyanese national, Mr. Thomas Eversley, he visited Guyana for the first time to seek opportunities to expand his Medical Imaging business overseas. In collaboration with St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, his company, Global Imaging Service installed the first MRI scanner in Guyana. As the pioneer in Medical Imaging, GIS continued to expand its services by adding more imaging modalities like CT scanner, Ultrasound, mammography and General X-Ray.

In 2006, the then Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy solicited a Public Private partnership with Global Imaging Service (GIS) which resulted in the formation of Cancer Institute of Guyana which was established at the GPHC compound at its current location. At the cancer institute several hundreds of patients are seen by qualified medical professionals for screening, diagnosis and treatment.

As the only recognized institution that provides comprehensive cancer treatment to patients, Mr. Nellamatthil has established a vision for the company to be the center of Excellence in Cancer treatment and research for the entire Caribbean region. Today several patients from other Caribbean countries come in to Guyana for cancer screening and treatment where the medical care is both affordable and standardized. Mr. Nellamattathil plans to collaborate with other major partners in the field from both USA and India to further develop on cancer research and to bring state of the art equipment and professional services in to Guyana.

Mr. Nellamattathil believes that there is much work that needs to be done in areas of cancer awareness among the general public especially in the rural areas of Guyana where the most prevalent type of cancer is cervical cancer. He has launched a division of cancer outreach program to address this issue under the leadership of Dr. Syed Ghazi. He believes that with proper collaborative efforts between CIG and the Ministry of Health, the cancer Institute can become a Center of Excellence in the Caribbean.

About Us

Cancer Institute of Guyana (CIG) a Non-Profit Organization has been in operation since 2006, a project between the Ministry of Health and Global Imaging Services Inc.

Mission Statement

The mission of the CIG is to provide evaluation, radiation treatment at a subsidized cost and follow up services for patients with malignant and certain benign diseases which are performed in accordance with standards of the Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and to improve on our services by reaching out to individuals in remote villages who have no access to education, screening and diagnosis.

Vision Statement

Our vision is to be a one stop center for diagnosis, treatment and follow up of all types of cancer prevalent in Guyana. CIG will strive to be the Center of Excellence in the Caribbean area where we can meet the challenges to build up a healthy nation.

Values of the Organisation

  • Caring – We are passionate, considerate, respectful and empathetic toward those individuals and families touched by cancer. We believe that all people should be treated with consideration and dignity. Our encouraging and supportive environment allows staff to thrive, and contributes to our ability to advance our cause.

  • We believe that Cancer Institute of Guyana must strive to maintain a therapeutic environment and high quality patient care services within the Radiation Therapy Department as well as respect and concern for the dignity and rights of the patient and his/her family members/ significant other.

  • We believe that all CIG personnel must strive to provide a safe, efficient, high ethical standards and high quality care/services to patients/consumers by increasing the Radiation Therapy Department’s sensitivity to the needs and desires of patients and their families/significant others, by being responsive to inquiries, by incorporating their views into the policy making process, by ensuring their awareness of programs and opportunities available through the clinic, and by evaluating the effectiveness of existing programs to ensure that CiG is meeting the needs of our customers/patients in compliance with established guidelines.

We also take part in health fairs/exhibitions and works along with other stakeholders in order to raise awareness and spread the word that early detection saves lives.

A team of qualified professionals lead by the Radiation oncologist, Dr. Narendra Bhalla continues to provide consultation, screening and treatment for cancer using external beam radiation, Brachytherapy and chemotherapy. The other professional staff includes a Registered Nurse, Radiation Therapists, Radiographers, Medical Physicist, Radiologist, Associated Physicians and Ancillary staff.

CIG has immediate access to imaging modalities made available at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, 130-132 Parade Street, Kingston, Georgetown, Guyana. These medical imaging services are provided by Global Imaging service Inc, a pioneer in Medical Imaging Services in Guyana since 2003.

CIG has access to the following imaging modalities:

  • Multilice CT scanner (GE QXI Light Speed)
  • MRI scanner – GE Signa Open MRI
  • Mammography
  • Ultrasound
  • X-Ray
  • Bone Density

Hours of Service

Cancer Institute is open Monday - Friday from 08:00 H to 19:00 H.
Emergency services are available 24 hours a day seven days a week.

CIG understands the special needs of people of Guyana and makes these services available to the patients who come through the Ministry of Health at a subsidized rate. Global Imaging Service and Cancer Institute of Guyana understand and value the need to improve the health of the community it serves, and to this end we pledge to work with Governmental Agencies/NGO’s and Physicians Groups to improve health awareness by way of education, screening, diagnosis and treatment.