AS Guyana continues its thrust for the modernisation and transformation of the country’s health sector, some $38.7 billion has been expended for the first half of the year.
This is according to the 2023 Mid-Year report produced by the Ministry of Finance, which indicated that this sum is part of the $84.9 billion that was allocated to the sector for the year 2023.

During the first half of the year, works commenced on the construction of a modern paediatric and maternal hospital, with a total of $2.2 billion being expended.
Additionally, works have commenced on the construction of regional hospitals at Lima, Enmore, Bath, and Diamond, with a total of $3.1 billion being expended on those initiatives.
The report further highlights that plans are being finalised for the construction and extension of hospitals at Kato, Moruca, Kamarang, and Lethem, which are expected to have capabilities for telemedicine. Designs are also being finalised for the construction of the Bartica Regional Hospital.

“The sum of $721.7 million of a budgeted $1 billion was expended to retrofit and upgrade health centres, health posts, and other facilities nationwide. Additionally, a sum of $372.5 million of the budgeted $1.3 billion was expended on the maintenance of health facilities across the country,” the report said.

Additionally, contracts for the upgrade of Karasabai, Annai and Sand Creek health centres to district hospitals along with the design, supervision and construction and rehabilitation of health science training facilities in Regions Two and Six, are expected to be awarded in the fourth quarter of this year.

As the sector aims to increase the stock of medical and non-medical equipment, $459.7 million was expended for the procurement of equipment across all regions.
Against this backdrop, it was reported that while undertaking the task of rectifying bottlenecks in supply chain management of drugs and medical supplies, the Materials Management Unit has achieved a 75 per cent fulfilment rate as of June 2023.

The report highlighted that improvements in procurement and distribution are expected to result in higher fulfilment rates by the end of the year.
In relation to the improvement of management systems across the country, a total of four government medical officers and 10 nurses were deployed to hinterland regions during the first half of the year.

Added to that, there has been an increase in the intake of nurses due to the newly adopted hybrid approach in the professional nurses training programme which utilises both virtual and face-to-face classes.