Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, today disclosed that the Government will be launching a special eye care programme to provide enhanced treatment to thousands of children and elderly people suffering from impaired vision, even as it ramps up the national screening and vaccination programmes to tackle a range of cancers, including cervical cancer. 

 Minister Anthony made the announcements as he stood to offer his contribution to the National Budget Debates, telling the National Assembly that the 2024 Budget is critical to the country creating a world class healthcare sector. 

He said through the provisions in the budget, the nation’s children will receive improved healthcare, with thousands in line to benefit from the eyecare progamme. 

“For the children, we hope to detect conditions, such as amblyopia, which means lazy eyes; strabismus, which means crossed eyes; and those with refractive errors, such as those with near sightedness, or far sightedness…and with prompt intervention, we can prevent long term vision impairment, which may adversely affect children’s academic performances and life’s opportunities,” Minister Anthony explained. 

The Government intends to provide 205,000 school children and some 76,000 pensioners with vouchers valuing $3,000 each to conduct eye test, in addition to $15,000 for those requiring spectacles. 

Minister Anthony said parents should ensure they capitalize on the opportunity to have their children tested. He said in the case of the elderly, those with cataracts will be provided with corrective surgery.

The Health Minister also told the House that in 2023 Guyana’s immunization coverage ranged from 98% to 100% – one of the best coverage rates in the entire Caribbean.

Maintaining this trajectory, he said in an attempt to prevent cancer in children and adults, the Health Ministry intends to increase HPV vaccination coverage for children ages 9-15 to 90%. 

In this regard, the Health Ministry intends to administer HPV vaccines to 41,539 children between 9 and 15 years old. Additionally, it will make two doses of HPV vaccines to 62,500 women between the ages of 16 and 25, and three doses of the vaccine to 94,000 women, who are withing the 26-45 age category. 

He said the vaccines are critical to preventing cervical cancer, which together with breast cancer, is the most prevalent cancer among women in the country. 

Additionally, the Health Ministry will facilitate high performance tests to 52,000 women including VIA, pap smears and HPV tests. Those diagnosed with cancer, he assured, will be provided with a range of treatments based on the type and stage of the cancer. 

Minister Anthony, disclosed further, his ministry’s intention to introduce brachytherapy services in Guyan. 

Major emphasis, he said, will also continue to be placed on neonatal care, and improving access to healthcare services. In this regard, he reminded that the Government is building 13 new hospitals – eight of which are already under construction. The remaining hospitals he said will be built at Bartica, Lethem, Moruca, Kamarang and Kato, all of which will be equipped with neonatal units among other important departments. Government, this year, will also be establishing an additional 25 telehealth centres, in quest to improve access. 

But Opposition Member of Parliament, Dr Karen Cummings said amid a mass exodus of nurses, who are leaving Guyana for greener pastures, where the remuneration packages are significantly better, the government continues to build new hospitals, without addressing the root cause of the significant shortages of health workers in the sector.  

“Mr. Speaker, having improved infrastructure is commendable but without adequate nurses and doctors to fill those hospitals citizens will find themselves not better off but worse off. In emergency situation, we cannot afford to have citizens rushing to hospitals, which do not have the personnel to assist them. That is both a waste of money, and a receipt for disaster,” MP Cummings told the House. 

She was also critical of the move by the Government to import nurses from Cuba, while failing to improve the working conditions of nurses. 

But in brushing aside her concerns, Minister Anthony said the Health Ministry is currently training 1,200 persons to become nurses, noting that another 1,200 nurses will be trained next year. Additionally, 1000 nursing assistants will also be trained this year to fill the gap. 

Minister Anthony said migration of nurses is a global issue, and the Government will continue to actively find solutions to the growing problem. 

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