$728m asked for health as minister reveals 5-year plan

IN JUSTIFYING his ministry’s request for over $700 million in supplemental funding, Health Minister Dr Lackram Bodoe outlined on June 16, government’s five-year plan to improve critical areas in the health care sector.

In his introductory speech before the Standing Finance Committee, Bodoe as had been the case in previous ministers, prefaced the request by saying the additional sums were to meet shortfalls inherited from the previous PNM government.

In the case of his ministry, Bodoe said that most of the $728,539,290 in supplemental funding being requested was to meet outstanding payments owed to suppliers of goods and services including pharmaceuticals to the various RHAs (regional health authorities).

He said a breakdown of the requested sum would show a proposed allocation of $353,701,420 for the payment of drugs and other related items to Nipdec (National Insurance Property Development Co Ltd) and $334,661,880 in transfers to the RHAs for payment of outstanding sums for goods and services.

The remainder of the supplemental allocation will go towards off-setting expenses for other goods and services including the repurposing and full opening of the Couva Hospital.

He revealed that for 2025-2030, the ministry’s priority areas to be pursued including improvement in the prevention, treatment and care of NCDs (non-communicable diseases), strengthening of maternal and child health services, strengthening of communicable diseases response, enhancement of the health infrastructure network namely repurposing and opening of the Couva Hospital, strengthening of mental health services and the enhancement of delivery of health services through reduced and guaranteed waiting times, and the removal of the backlog of the list of patients awaiting critical diagnostics tests and surgeries.

He said a most critical improvement target was the availability of drugs for patients and supplies for doctors and nurses to better do their jobs

He said that payments to suppliers in RHAs are for services including for medical supplies, security, utilities, food supplies, repairs and maintenance, outstanding payment for pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceuticals, repairs and maintenance of the Couva Hospital and for the continuation of extended opening hours at six health centres and the introduction of extended opening hours at six other health centres.

Bodoe, the MP for Oropouche West, said the shortfall in payment for goods and services provided to the RHAs was as a result of an apparent starving of funds or “possibly,” funds not being spent on correct priorities.

By way of simple majority, the allocation for this ministry was later approved by the committee.

In its final budget, last September, the then PNM government allocated $7.571 billion to health – the largest budgetary allocation across all ministries.