IDB approves US$23M for health sector
-poor, in particular, to benefit
Stabroek News
June 7, 2004
Guyana's health sector is expected to benefit from a US$23M soft loan that was approved by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on Friday.
A press release from the bank said the IDB loan is intended to support improvement in the effectiveness, quality and equity of the distribution of health care nationally, and targets the entire population with specific focus on the poor since they are primary users of the public health system.
The programme to reform the health sector with the aid of this loan, according to the release, includes a) increasing access to quality essential drugs, vaccines and other health supplies by enhancing the national pharmaceutical system, b) modernising the present information technology system, c) updating the process for recruiting health sector personnel and expanding their training, d) offering incentives to attract qualified health workers to rural areas and e) promoting community involvement in monitoring the quality and availability of health care.
It is expect that the rehabilitation of in-patient wards at the Georgetown Public Hospital and the McKenzie Regional Hospital in Linden will be prioritised through priority civil works investments, the release said.
The loan is for a 40-year-term with a ten-year grace period at an annual interest of 1 percent during the grace period with 2 percent interest thereafter.
Additionally, the release added, local counterpart funds total US$2,555,000.
The programme reflects the IDB strategy for Guyana of investing in human resources and strengthening social programmes, the release added.