BUDGET 2024: More money for hospitals, training more nurses as $129.8B for health sector

Guyana’s public health sector is set to receive $129.8 billion, the largest ever budgetary allocation here, as the government seeks to train more nurses, build more modern health facilities and tackle chronic diseases that affect thousands of people annually.

Finance Minister Dr. Singh on Monday, during his presentation of the 2024 National Budget on Monday, said the government is investing heavily to engender a “resilient health sector.”

With that focus, enormous sums have gone to the Ministry of Health for the upgrade or construction of health facilities, the expansion of diagnostic and treatment services, the timely procurement of medicines and medical supplies and expanding tertiary healthcare.

The government is building 12 new hospitals across the country and Dr. Singh announced that billions more have been allocated to advance these projects.

For example, $10.3 billion will this year go towards the paediatric and maternal hospital at Ogle. Another $15.5 billion will go towards the construction of six regional hospitals at Bath, De Kindren, Diamond, Enmore, Lima and the No. 75 Village.

The government also intends on training and recruiting more nurses and other healthcare workers to curb the challenges being faced because of the migration of those workers. Dr. Singh said $1.4 billion will be spent on constructing two new health science training facilities at New Amsterdam and Suddie.

There was recently a sod-turning exercise for the Suddie facility, Dr. Singh pointed out.

It is envisioned that over 3,500 students, including 2,000 nursing students, will be recruited and trained this year.

“Like many developing countries around the world, Guyana continues to be challenged by competition for healthcare workers especially nurses,” Dr. Singh pointed out.

Additionally, he said more doctors, nurses and health care professionals from the Cuban Medical Brigade will be recruited this year.

Last year, the health sector got $90.2 billion.