Govt praised for recognising frontline workers, removing VAT on medical supplies

– healthcare workers commit to “putting their best foot forward” in fight against the pandemic

“I am beyond elated that this initiative was actually put in place. For us its not about the money, but the money is an incentive for the work that we have been doing on a daily.” Registered Nurse (RN), attached to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC,) Trisha Singh.

Nurse Singh and her colleagues are appreciative of the Government’s move to set aside $150M in Budget 2020 for frontline workers.

Marissa Jeffers another RN at GPHC is thankful that “the Government is recognising and supporting us (frontline workers) through this difficult time.”  “We, healthcare workers will do everything we can to get everyone through this pandemic,” Nurse Jeffers committed.

Roberta Hill, a Pharmacy Technician/Assistant at the GPHC, described the Government’s monetary support as a great gesture for healthcare workers and their tremendous efforts in combatting COVID-19.

 The Government will be implementing several new measures as part of its 2020 Emergency Budget to acknowledge and improve the livelihoods of frontline workers inclusive of those healthcare workers, who have been at the forefront of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Healthcare employees and Guyana in a whole, will be benefitting tremendously from new measures, which seek to remove Value Added Tax (VAT) from all medical supplies, thus guaranteeing adequate medication for patients, and essentially increasing the health standards of Guyana.

Melissa Wong, a Pharmacist attached to the hospital, voiced her appreciation for the Government acknowledging healthcare workers who have been “putting their best foot forward” in efforts to ensure the safety of all Guyanese, and essentially curtailing the spread of the deadly virus.

Speaking specifically to the removal of VAT from medical supplies, Wong said, “It’s an excellent initiative. Working in the health sector, we often find shortages have caused the decline in health of our general population and reducing taxes would mean better availability of medications for our patients. It’s great to see our health standards rising and actual efforts being made to better the outcome of this pandemic,” Wong stated.