US$50M from debt relief for health care reform - govt poverty reduction paper By Gitanjali Singh Stabroek News September 18, 2000 The government is giving a commitment to the IMF to spend US$50 million in the medium term to improve access to, coverage and the quality of health care, especially for the poor in Guyana. Beginning in the 2001 budget, the government is committing itself to purchasing the equipment, drugs, materials and other services required to improve health care in Guyana in the medium term. In the policy matrix of the interim poverty reduction strategy paper (I-PRSP), the finalised version of which will be the basis for enhanced debt relief for Guyana, the government is proposing to expand preventative care and reduce the incidence of other frequently occurring diseases. While the I-PRSP does not contain empirical data, the government says it will mount regular immunization and other programmes to contain malaria, MMR and other infectious diseases. It will spray malaria infected areas on a regular basis, especially hinterland locations and expand awareness programmes in sexually transmitted diseases including HIV and other communicable diseases. The objective here is to achieve a lower incidence of malaria and sexually transmitted diseases. This part of the strategy is costed at US$25 million and is expected to flow from the enhanced debt relief efforts. The I-PRSP also commits the government to upgrading health centres and clinics in rural and interior locations with machines; lab facilities and screening equipment; radio and telephone communication; and generators to reduce the number of patients who visit the Georgetown Public Hospital. This aspect of the plan is estimated to cost US$9 million and will also flow from enhanced debt relief. The government also plans to develop a rotating scheme for specialists to provide expert services to rural and interior locations on a regular basis. The government said it also intends to review allowances and fringe benefits of health personnel stationed in interior and rural locations. And to improve the procurement and delivery of drugs and medical supplies, the government is proposing to introduce market principles in the procurement and delivery process and computerise the national drug bond and stores at the GPH and other regional hospitals. To this end, the government proposes to establish a national materials management agency and the cost of the equipment is expected to run into US$200,000. Again the resources will flow from the impending debt relief. There are also plans by the government to improve efficiency in health services. This means a review of medical facilities through out the country; the closure or selling off of facilities no longer necessary; reducing the amount of patients on the waiting list for overseas treatment; seeking and signing contracts with at least three regional hospitals and agreeing on the number of patients per hospital per month and ensuring this is complied with. Overseas treatment is costed at US$3.1 million and will also flow from debt relief. The government is also looking to provide comprehensive solutions to special ailments which are not currently treated in Guyana and will be upgrading the facilities at the GPH to handle these ailments. But to do so, the government will first have to determine the core areas with the highest frequency of specialised ailments; create departments and upgrade equipment and facilities; and recruit and train and assign doctors and nurses to these departments to work with experts and provide post operative care. The needs assessments in these regards is to be done by the end of July 2001 and the cost is estimated at US$6.5M and is also expected to come from enhanced debt relief. The government also sees the need to contract on a regular basis, international experts to visit Guyana to perform specialised services and will be seeking assistance from the World Health Organisation, non-governmental organisations and national medical associations for renowned experts in special areas of need. There will be increased budgetary allocation for this and a costing will have to await the needs assessment exercise estimated at US$7 million. Follow the goings-on in Guyana in Guyana Today