The National Annual Budget has ensured that emphasis will continue to be placed mainly on the provision of quality service and effectiveness of operations in the public health care system, an area that remains a priority of the Administration. Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, highlighted that in 2010, a total of $13.3 billion will be channelled into two broad arms within the sector; infrastructural development and personnel upgrade.
Specifically, $1.4 billion will go directly into the continuation of construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of health facilities countrywide.
The budget also proposes to spend $300 million on the development of human resource, a complementary component that will provide job opportunities for citizens in all 10 regions who successfully complete training. To this end, operations will be conducted within the regions which will contribute to the reduction in the number of referrals to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
The capacity of the staff within the sector will be further enhanced with the return of Guyanese medical students completing their specific programmes and returning from Cuba in large numbers in 2010, encouraging the expectation of continued quality public health care.
Potential spending within the sector will exceed the allocations of 2009, which amounted to $12.8 billion, with $1.5 billion going to the modernisation and expansion of facilities, services and training programmes, including the new Linden Hospital Complex, the Mabaruma and Lethem Hospitals and the National Ophthalmology Hospital at Port Mourant, all of which have commenced operations and are serving persons in the surrounding and neighbouring communities.
Also in 2009, the mental health programme was expanded with the addition of Psychiatric Clinics at the GPHC and the National Psychiatric Hospital in Parika, Linden, Suddie and Skeldon.
An additional $300 million will fund the enhancement of antenatal and child health programmes and $2.7 billion will be spent on the acquisition of drugs and medical materials for the public health care system.
The sum of $60 million will be allocated to complete a modern warehouse facility along with the computerisation of inventory management system.
Provision was also made in the document to further the progress in the fight against chronic and communicable diseases and increase the availability of diabetic medicines.
While the head office of the Ministry of Health’s main buildings and important records of the health sector were destroyed by the 2009 arson attack on the institution, the health sector and the consistency of the Government remained constant in providing high quality health services throughout the country. (GINA)