By Kristin Josiah, January 17, 2025
The Government of Guyana has made a significant allocation of $143.2 billion in the 2025 budget to enhance the country’s healthcare system.
This massive investment is aimed at expanding and improving the delivery of healthcare services across the nation.
Among the major projects set for completion this year are the Paediatric and Maternity Hospital at Ogle, as well as six regional hospitals located in Lima, De Kinderen, Diamond, Enmore, Bath, and No. 75 Village.
In addition, plans include advancing the construction of four new regional hospitals at Moruca, West Demerara, New Amsterdam, and Kato, while the Lethem Regional Hospital will undergo upgrades.
A total of $28.1 billion has been allocated to complete these public health facilities.
Further, the budget includes $852 million to complete health sciences training complexes in Suddie and New Amsterdam, as well as initiate the construction of two dormitories for health training facilities.
In terms of infrastructure, $2.9 billion is set aside for the design and construction of a Medicines Regulatory Laboratory, a National Neurological Rehabilitation Centre, and a Centre of Excellence for Cancer Treatment.
The 2025 budget also focuses on improving health facilities and staff housing, with $6.5 billion dedicated to upgrading and retrofitting various healthcare institutions.
Additionally, the finance minister announced the introduction of a $10,000 universal healthcare voucher for each citizen, which will be used to finance a basic menu of health tests.
The program is estimated to cost the government $5 billion and will benefit about 500,000 people.
With a target of screening 100,000 people for chronic diseases in 2025, the government continues to roll out health initiatives such as the HEARTS protocol to address cardiovascular diseases and hypertension.
HIV screening and the distribution of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) will also be expanded, alongside the introduction of HIV self-testing.
The government’s commitment to healthcare is further reflected in its investment in training, with 3,761 aspiring medical workers currently in training and an additional 3,290 projected for 2025.
These efforts signify the government’s ongoing dedication to ensuring a healthier population and improving healthcare access throughout Guyana.