$1.8B allocated to provide better eye care services to Schoolchildren, pensioners

The government is investing heavily in advancing health care services, making them available to citizens particularly children and senior citizens countrywide.

A significant representation of this is displayed in the government’s recent budget allocation of $1.8 billion aimed at promoting eye care amongst these groups of citizens.

“A $3,000 voucher will be provided to assist in meeting the cost of an eye test for over 205,000 school children and 76,000 pensioners at a cost of over $840 million…to determine whether the person tested requires spectacles to aid their vision,” Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh announced Monday.

Minister Singh made the statement while laying out the administration’s fiscal package for 2024 in the National Assembly, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

To further propel the new measure, the government has allotted $955 million to aid in the purchasing of spectacles for children and pensioners who are in need.

This will result in these groups benefiting from a $15,000 voucher towards the cost of the spectacles.

“In the case of school children and pensioners living in the hinterland where testing facilities might not be readily accessible, an alternative arrangement will be put in place,” Minister Singh underscored.

An alternative arrangement will be implemented for testing teams to be deployed into these areas to ensure all children and pensioners benefit.