Health Minister outlines buoyancy of sector – during response to opposition’s accusations

Health Minister Dr. Bheri Ramsaran on Wednesday outlined the buoyancy of the health sector during the Parliamentary debate on the National Budget in response to the opposition’s calls for pressing improvements to be implemented.

Whilst endorsing the National Estimates and Expenditures as presented by Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, Minister Ramsaran applauded the hard work of the technical team in crafting the budget, noting that in doing it, they recognised the good work of the health sector with a moderate increase in the budgetary allocation.

The Health Minister said this endorsement of the Health Sector is concomitant with the support of the hundreds of health workers around the country who are not publicly known and are predominantly women, “and who represent a significant group of the (country’s) workforce…this is the group of workers who make us proud, while at the same time protecting the nation 24 hours a day…to such an extent that we have continuously won international accolade.”

Minister Ramsaran explained that these praises were earned for vaccination coverage which was achieved through the dedication of the workers who continually work beyond the call of duty in difficult and challenging conditions to ensure 100% coverage. “Guyana has the distinction of being among the countries with one of the highest coverage for routine vaccine and antigens,” he said.

Health Minister Dr Bheri Ramsaran making his Budget

debate presentation

In February 2011, it was announced that Guyana had qualified to be internationally certified as free of measles, rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS).

Minister Ramsaran noted however, that while the Health Sector continues to achieve significant gains, there are still significant challenges. He noted that the National Budget allows for all stakeholders to say ‘this is my budget,’ including health sector workers and patients.

As the Minister prepared to outline the achievements of his sector, he pointed out that the opposition benches have begun the attempt to lay the foundation for voting against or cutting the 2013 budget. He expressed his misgivings and alarm that some of the opposition presentations clearly indicate, “That some of the persons calling for cuts, did not seem to understand the content of some of their own discussions.”

He used the examples of the proposed Specialty Hospital and capital works in the health sector, and proposed that it could mean mistakes on the Government side of the House since they have been unable to get the Opposition to understand for over a year, the objectives of the projects launched and implemented by the administration. “Some of the said arguments that were raised here last year in regard to the Specialty Hospital keep coming back,” he stated.

Dr. Ramsaran in responding to APNU MP Annette Ferguson’s presentation on Tuesday when she addressed the issue of the proposed Specialty Hospital and questioned the use of funds allocated, patiently explained that although the money may have been voted for, it does not mean that the contractor would have received it since there is a process to be followed.

He assured MP Ferguson that the amount she mentioned, $97M has not been given to the contractor, “because he has not done that volume of work…he has been given monies based on the measure of work done.”

Minister Ramsaran also addressed the issue of monies for retention fees, “The component parts are different, that is, a small sum for the school in East Street and the annex in Kingston, bringing that up to $25M and the retention referred to would roll over since one contractor has been dismissed and another one engaged.”

The Health Minister pointed out that the Health Sector’s continued increase in budgetary allocation which has moved from 5% of the National Budget in 1992 to 10% for the last five consecutive years is a clear indication of the buoyancy of the country’s economy, and a similar indication that the health sector is buoyant and ‘getting it right’.

He however, cautioned that after benefitting from this, the sector must be managed in austere conditions, and care must be taken to be vigilant and not complacent. The Minister acknowledged that things must be done in a better manner and that his Minister will look to savings with regard to the economy.

He pointed out that over the past few years investment in infrastructure had created a base in the sector, and he referred to the various hospitals built, rehabilitated and modernised under the PPP/C administration such as Diamond, Leonora, Mahaicony, Suddie, Lethem and Mabaruma.

The Minister also responded to APNU’s Region 9 MP Sydney Allicock who charged that there were issues with the Lethem Hospital, mainly a shortage of medical personnel. He spoke of visits by medical teams to the various hospitals including Lethem and Mabaruma and the more than 25 surgical procedures which were carried out by leading medical professionals from both Guyana and the Caribbean region at the Lethem Hospital, as the Ministry seeks to provide health care to all Guyanese.

He noted the increase in the number of doctors and other medical personnel to the regions who have studied through government scholarships, and have returned to their communities to serve. The Health Minister said that the training of medical personnel is not marginalised in any way, and will continue.

On the claim of poor maternal and child health care, he pointed to the several batches of midwives who have graduated and are now serving in the various communities. The Health Minister also referred to the fact that Guyana has undertaken an international commitment to achieve Millennium Development Goal Number 4 which targets neo-natal care. This goal is well on its way to being achieved.

On other services within the sector, the Health Minister pointed to expansion of services to address cardiac issues and the building of a warehouse to accommodate medical supplies. He also addressed progress in combating tuberculosis and diabetes.

Separate and apart from the health sector, Minister Ramsaran also addressed APNU’s Renis Morian’s claim of Linden being marginalised. Here, the PPP/C MP said if any marginalisation is being done it was being done in favour of Linden. He pointed to the massive works done in Region 10 to address potable water supply along with the huge electricity subsidy.  Water is subsidised by half of what is being done for citizens elsewhere, whilst for electricity for Linden is five times the national per capita income. A subsidy of $2.9B has been allocated for Linden electricity in the 2013 budget.