…$35.9 billion budgeted for health sector

GOVERNMENT will construct a new accident and emergency facility at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and discussions have commenced with interested development partners to build a modern, state-of-the-art trauma centre that will better manage emergency cases, including addressing patient flow, isolation and capacity.

This is according to Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, during his budget presentation on Monday in the National Assembly. “If we are to empower our people and build sustainable communities, it must be on the foundation of a healthy population. We will continue to invest resources in the health sector to ensure that the public healthcare system is maintained and upgraded, in order to deliver adequate and efficient care to improve the quality of life of all Guyanese,” Jordan said.

To this end, the finance minister said a total of $35.9 billion has been budgeted for this sector for 2019, 11.9 per cent of the Budget, $2.6 billion above 2018‘s allocation, and 4.3 per cent of GDP. Within this allocation, Jordon said a sum of $3.2 billion is for the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of health infrastructure across the country and another $7.8 billion will be used to procure drugs and medical supplies.

Noting that the availability of drugs and medical supplies continues to be of concern to the administration, Minister Jordon said a person that is prescribed treatment at a public health facility should not have to go to a private pharmacy to procure medication.

“We will be putting systems in place to strengthen procurement planning and ensure cost-effective purchases of drugs, in order to eliminate shortages and emergency purchases,” he said.

He explained that the disease profile of Guyana shows that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) remain the biggest public health challenge. The data, he said, indicates that NCDs, such as diabetes and hypertension, are on the rise and these can also cause further complications, and even death, if left unchecked and untreated. “There is a reason why NCDs are referred to as ‘silent killers’. We must all recognise that a large contributor to this issue is our lifestyle, including lack of exercise, poor food choices and inadequate medical check-ups. While the government will continue to expand its public awareness and education programmes, screening and treatment, the decision is ours to make in terms of lifestyle choices,” he said.

This year, he said government has taken initial steps to incentivise at-risk individuals to make healthier choices by increasing the taxes and duties on cigarettes, thereby discouraging their use. Adding that recent trends in non-communicable diseases warrant additional efforts, in 2019, Minister Jordan said with regard to tuberculosis (TB), “we have noted an increase in incidence of the multi-drug resistant strain of this disease.”

In response, he said the government will be revitalising its DOTs programme, to ensure adequate detection, treatment and monitoring. Additionally, HIV appears to be rising, with the 20-29 age cohort showing the highest incidence – 32 per cent of all newly reported cases, in 2017. Similar to NCDs, he said this disease also relies on our lifestyle choices, specifically, the decision to use protection, commit to continuous testing and diligently follow treatment prescribed.

“The government will continue its public awareness, surveillance and follow-up programmes. We have committed to the international 90/90/90 Treat All Policy towards the eradication of HIV,” Jordan said. Additionally, he said in order to reduce the number of referrals, we would be strengthening our workforce across the country; however, this requires investment in appropriate living facilities for, and incomes of, our health professionals, especially those serving in hinterland, remote and riverine areas. To this end, Jordon said in 2019, “we will construct living quarters in key areas such as Kamarang, Kaikan, Lethem, Wiruni, Mabaruma, Leguan and Mabura. Also, we will examine the issue of allowances for health workers.”