99% of health budget utilised in 2006 -- Ramsammy
Kaieteur News
February 6, 2007
The health sector effectively utilised its budgetary allocation during the last year. Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy told reporters yesterday that in excess of 99% of the 2006 monetary health allocation was utilised. While acknowledging that some deadlines, especially in infrastructure were not realised, it was noted that the major goals were accomplished.
He pointed to the fact that four diagnostic centers being constructed should have been completed by last year-end. This is also the case with the expansion efforts of the National Blood Transfusion Service. However, plans are apace with the GPHC and Linden rehabilitation projects, Ramsammy noted.
He related that some $362 million was expended on HIV/AIDS prevention and control to continue institutional strengthening and capacity building activities. Almost $245 million was spent, under the Basic Nutrition Programme, to reduce malnutrition among women and young children in poor communities. Under the Health Sector Programme, $550 million was spent to improve the effectiveness, quality and equity in access to health services in the country.
According to Minister Ramsammy under the organisational and institutional capacity improvement component of the programme, a contract was awarded to provide technical support in the areas of institutional strengthening, human resource development, health management information systems, and the strengthening of the pharmaceutical system.
Under the health services delivery component, the contract was signed for the construction of the clinical block of the Linden Hospital Complex. This project, which is being constructed at a cost of $1.2 billion, commenced in the latter part of 2006.
An amount of $567 million was spent on the construction of comprehensive diagnostic centres at Suddie, Leonora, Mahaicony and Diamond as part of the Guyana/Cuba Healthcare Technical Cooperation Project. The main objective of these diagnostic centres is to decentralise and upgrade the level of healthcare offered throughout the country. Construction also commenced on the Ophthalmology Centre at Port Mourant, the first of its kind in Guyana .
On completion, the centre will provide services for the treatment of cataract, retina, glaucoma and refractive surgery. Government also initiated a project to increase access to primary health care for Amerindian communities in Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9. Its components include workshops to review and update referral systems and tools for regional health systems; and basic training in information technology, and malaria and microscopy.