$129.8B to be injected to boost Guyana’s health sector in 2024
The health sector has been allocated $129.8 billion in Budget 2024 to ensure it mirrors international standards.
This is according to Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh during the 2024 budget presentation in the National Assembly on Monday.
“With the aim of expanding and upgrading health facilities and diagnostic capabilities key initiatives include the construction of a world-class pediatric and maternal hospital in Ogle has commenced and will continue in 2024 for which a sum of $10.3 billion has been budgeted,” Dr Singh noted.
Minister Singh noted the commencement of construction of six regional hospitals at Bath De Kinderen, Diamond, Enmore, Lima, and No 75 Village that will continue in 2024 for which $15.5 billion has been set aside.
The Bartica, Suddie, and West Demerara Hospitals will also be rehabilitated at an estimated cost of $10 billion, Dr Singh noted.
Kamarang, Kato, and Moruca, will also benefit from the construction of new hospitals while the Lethem Hospital will be upgraded at a cost of $1.5 billion this year.
Additionally, a sum of $5 billion has been budgeted for the retrofitting of health centres, health posts, and other facilities countrywide this year.
Moreover, a sum of $2.9 billion has been budgeted for the expansion of the equipment inventory, to ensure adequate capabilities in terms of medical and non-medical equipment.
To build human resource capacity, the government is investing heavily in the training of healthcare professionals including nurses with the construction of two new health science training facilities one at Suddie, Region Two, and one in New Amsterdam.
He noted that once persons are qualified, they can train as nurses in Guyana.
“Everybody who has the qualifications and wishes to be trained as a nurse needs to only apply and will be accepted and will be trained by the government to become a nurse,” Minister Singh explained.
He noted that the number of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals have been increased due to several bilateral agreements and arrangements.