The Irfaan Ali Administration has proposed an injection $53.5B into Guyana’s Health Sector – a sum if approved by the National Assembly will see $1.8B being used for the acquisition of critical medical equipment, $2.8B for the modernisation and expansion of hospitals and other health facilities, and another $750M for the roll out of the country’s COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, in presenting the $383.1B National Budget to the National Assembly on Friday, said the significant injection into the Health Sector is a direct response to the needs of the sector, and therefore will address the issues of drug shortages and the lack of functioning equipment.
“In Budget 2021, to begin expanding diagnostic and speciality capacities across the country, we have provided $1.8 billion for the purchasing of critical medical equipment for the public health sector. Of this amount, $99.8 million is budgeted for re-equipping the ophthalmology hospital in Port Mourant, the only one of its kind in the country and an indispensable service for our people, especially the elderly. Government also intends to expend $322 million, in 2021, for the acquisition of medical equipment, including ventilators and anaesthesia machines, which will serve to expand the diagnosis and treatment capacity at the National Referral Hospital,” the Finance Minister detailed.
Additionally, $35M is intended to strengthen the country’s emergency medical services capacity even as the Government works to formulate a holistic plan for introduction of an ambulance authority.
With $2.1B already spent by the Health Ministry to combat the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Dr. Singh said an additional $750M has been budgeted for the roll out of a COVID-19 Vaccination Programme with effect from this month (February).
The programme in its initial stages will target frontline workers, the elderly, and persons living with comorbidities. “While Government’s ultimate aim is to promote vaccination towards achieving herd immunity before end of 2021, mask wearing, sanitising and physical distancing continue to be critical to containing transmission,” he said.
He said upon taking office in August 2020, the PPP/C Government ramped up testing from conducting approximately 21 tests daily to 200 tests daily with a capacity of 2,000. “This expansion allowed for the provision of a larger data sample to improve the Health Emergency Operations Centre’s coordination and response to the pandemic. Government has also strengthened disease surveillance through the use of the COVID-19 antigen-based Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) which offers point-of-care testing and near-immediate results. Four GeneXpert machines have been procured for $17.6 million to be deployed in Regions 1, 6, 9 and 10, with expansion of testing facilities to Regions 7 and 8 planned for 2021,” he detailed.
Added to that, he said Infectious Diseases Centre was operationalized, and has been catering to COVID-19 patients since September 1. Between September 1 and December 31, it has treated 450 patients in the COVID-19 ward and 38 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
COVID-19 aside, the Government intends to construct establish a diabetic prevention and rehabilitation clinic at the Lusignan Health Centre at the cost of $35M. This move, Dr. Singh said, is part of the push to respond to respond to the health challenges posed by Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
Turning his attention to HIV and AIDS, the Finance Minister said the Administration be intensifying its partnerships with civil society organisations to encourage expanded testing and continued care, to ensure that persons living with the virus are able to remain on their anti-retroviral treatment.
For related treatment and testing, the Government has made a provision of $900M. “With respect to our national and international target to end the epidemic of malaria by the year 2030, we shall be undertaking a mass distribution of 135,000 long-lasting insecticidal nets, in 2021 with emphasis on areas deemed most vulnerable, such as mining towns and its nearby environs,” he added.
Over $70M has been budgeted for the provision of essential medication for psychiatric patients, and another $26M for the construction of an 18-bed mental health ward at the National Referral Hospital.
In its quest to modernize and expand healthcare facilities, the Government has budgeted $2.8B for that purpose, of which $860M will be used for the continued implementation of the SMART Hospital initiative, which will result in operationalisation of the upgraded Leonora Hospital, and the commissioning of the upgraded Diamond Diagnostic Centre and Mabaruma Hospital in 2021.
At the moment, works are advancing on the Lethem and Paramakatoi Hospitals. “This initiative will lead to improved flow design and infection control under more improved energy efficiency,” the Finance Minister said while adding that the Government will also endeavour to complete the construction of a polyclinic at Festival City and the remodelling of the Skeldon Hospital, at a combined cost of $88.3 million, to now cater for surgical interventions including an operating room, recovery room, and an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), among others.
Other areas that will benefit in capital investments focused on providing surgical interventions are Aishalton and Kumaka District Hospitals, with over $100 million earmarked for these projects in 2021.
Further, in an effort to bring down the mortality rates among mothers and children, over $140M will be used to finance the construction of maternal waiting homes and facilities at Moruca, Enmore, and Kato. Another $100M will go towards the construction and retrofitting of the maternity ward and wing at the New Amsterdam Hospital.
