The Government of Guyana has set aside $863M in Budget 2022 to ensure Guyanese who require specific health interventions, locally or abroad, receive assistance.
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony told the Committee of Supply this morning that the sum reflects a $399M increase from last year’s allocation. The increase, according to the minister, is warranted given that the Ministry was able to provide 1,538 persons with assistance in 2021.
Minister Anthony said this year, $400 million will be spent on patients who need cardiac interventions.
The health ministry also plans to spend about $60 million for persons who need CAT scans and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Guyanese dialysis patients are also expected to receive $600,000 per annum, with $180 million allocated for this.
Another $70 million was allocated to assist persons who will need radiation, especially bracket therapy among other treatments.
“We have allocated $18 million for cross matching. These are patients who are going to get renal transplant, but to do so we need to cross match them to make sure they are compatible with the donor.”
A total of $20 million has been assigned for patients who need specialised eye care and operations.
Further, a sum of $12 million will be invested for patients who would need prosthetic limbs.
“And there is another $103 million for patients who would need help for other illnesses and these are mainly patients that we would send overseas,” the health minister disclosed.
