World Physiotherapy representatives met with government officials and health leaders in Uruguay and Guyana to support advocacy efforts focused on physiotherapy regulation, education, and rehabilitation workforce development.
The high-level meetings strengthened support for member organisations across the World Physiotherapy South America and North America Caribbean regions, with discussions covering physiotherapy scope of practice, educational standards and continuing professional development, across health systems. Meetings included engagement with Guyana’s minister of health and parliamentary representatives in Uruguay.
The World Physiotherapy delegation included CEO Sidy Dieye, development programme manager Ann Nicholson, and senior membership officer Pablo Davó Cabra.
Supporting physiotherapy regulation in Uruguay
Meetings in Uruguay focused on supporting the Physiotherapists’ Association of Uruguay (AFU) in its ongoing advocacy efforts to establish a regulatory framework for the physiotherapy profession.
On 15 April, the World Physiotherapy delegation met with members of the Uruguayan Senate Health Commission, including senators Patricia Kramer, Pedro Bordaberry, and Carmen Tort, alongside representatives from AFU’s executive committee. Discussions focused on the proposed physiotherapy bill, which aims to formally define the profession’s scope of practice and address the current regulatory gap in Uruguay.
The meetings also provided an opportunity to present evidence supporting the passing of the bill and to highlight the essential role of physiotherapists within rehabilitation teams and wider health systems.
Noemí Fremd, president of the Physiotherapists' Association of Uruguay, said: “For AFU, the support provided by World Physiotherapy officials during meetings with national authorities (senators) in the fight for our right to a law governing professional practice was a key form of international backing; it not only strengtheneds our voice as a collective, but also helps to highlight more clearly the scope, responsibility and real contribution of our work within public health.
Furthermore, having spent days working and engaging in close dialogue with World Physiotherapy representatives has been a learning experience for us as leaders of the profession. Working together strengthens us, raises our profile and reaffirms the path of continuous growth , both as Uruguayan physiotherapists and within the global physiotherapy community.”
Physiotherapy workforce and education priorities in Guyana
On 22 April, the World Physiotherapy delegation met with Guyana’s minister of health, Dr Frank Anthony, to discuss strategic priorities for strengthening physiotherapy and rehabilitation services within the country’s public health system.
The meeting brought together World Physiotherapy representatives, NACR executive committee member Se-Sergio Baldew, president of the Guyana Physiotherapy Association Jana Edghill, and Ariane Mangar, rehabilitation director at the Guyana Ministry of Health.
Discussions focused on workforce development priorities, including postgraduate education opportunities, specialised clinical training, continuing professional development, and expanding access to physiotherapy education across Guyana and the wider Caribbean. Delegates also highlighted the important role of physiotherapists within primary health care and at all levels of the health system.
Ariane Mangar, rehabilitation director at the Guyana Ministry of Health and member of the Guyana Physiotherapy Association, said: “Our meeting with the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, was an encouraging and productive step towards advancing physiotherapy in Guyana. Discussions centered on strengthening training opportunities, including developing Master’s and PhD pathways for the University of Guyana, specialised clinical training, and reviewing entry-level education standards. We also explored standardising physiotherapy equipment and assessing clinic and patient needs to better support equitable and quality physiotherapy services throughout Guyana. These conversations reflect a growing recognition of the vital role physiotherapy plays within Guyana’s healthcare system and the need for continued investment in the profession.”
Alongside discussions on physiotherapy regulation, education, and workforce development, the visit also provided opportunities to engage in wider conversations about the future of healthcare and rehabilitation systems.
On 23 April, the World Physiotherapy delegation attended the AI summit: turning promise into practice: integrating AI into healthcare foundations, ethics and decision-making in Georgetown, Guyana, following an invitation from the minister of health.
The event featured presentations exploring the cutting-edge use of artificial intelligence in healthcare, with opening remarks delivered by President Mohamed Irfaan Ali.
The summit also provided an opportunity for the delegation to meet PAHO assistant director Dr Rhonda Sealey-Thomas and PAHO/World Health Organization (WHO) representative Dr Kim Eva Dickson.
The meetings reflected World Physiotherapy’s ongoing commitment to supporting member organisations, strengthening rehabilitation workforce development, and advancing the role of physiotherapy across health systems globally.
