The Government will this year design and construct a Centre of Excellence for Cancer Treatment, Senior Minister responsible for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh announced on Friday in his Budget presentation.

The healthcare sector is set to receive an allocation of $143.2 Billion in 2025.

In addition to the Cancer Treatment Centre, the Government will also design and construct a Medicines Regulatory Laboratory and Office Complex, and a National Neurological Rehabilitation Centre.

The sum of $2.9 Billion has been budgeted for the three projects.

Minister Singh told the National Assembly that the Government will also advance a number of projects that were initiated in 2024, including the Specialty Pediatric and Maternity Hospital at Ogle, the new hospital in New Amsterdam, and the six Regional Hospitals.

Approximately $28.1 Billion has been budgeted for those projects.

Another $6.5 Billion has been set aside for the upgrade and retrofitting of health facilities and living quarters.

He said the hospitals will be fully equipped to provide world class treatment and services.

“As we continue to expand the equipment inventory, we have made it possible to provide new surgeries for the first time, including at GPHC the first laparoscopic kidney transplant through the introduction of paediatric liver resection and bariatric and minimally invasive surgeries. We have also added to the fleet of equipment nationwide and introduced telemedicine sites across Regions 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10.  Notably, with increased digital imaging units in all regions, we have completed in excess of 296,000 cases since 2020. To advance this cause, in 2024 $3.1 billion was spent on medical equipment and an additional $4.3 billion is allocated in 2025,” Minister Singh said.

Additionally, $28 Billion will go towards the procurement of drugs and medical supplies, while efforts will continue to enhance the health sector’s human resource capacity. 

“Mr. Speaker, with the aim of world class healthcare, including the expansion of services in the regions, we are conscious of the need to ensure adequate and qualified healthcare professionals. Government has expanded nursing, clinical and technical training programmes with 2,037 persons graduated since 2020, with a further 3,761 currently in training and an additional 3,290 projected for 2025.  Furthermore, we have enhanced our capacity to train through online platforms including unlimited access to COURSERA with training offered in Nursing Assistant and Professional Nursing programmes. Additionally, we will ramp up the intake of nurses and doctors under our bilateral partnerships,” Minister Singh said.

He noted that the Government will advance a number of programmes to address both communicable and non-communicable diseases, such as the HEARTS protocol, the expansion of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) medication and the introduction of self-testing for HIV.

Related posts:

New training facilities for health professionals to be established in Berbice; Over $10B budgeted for Ogle Pediatric and Maternity Hospital Malaria cases on the rise in four Regions; Health Ministry to step up monitoring and treatment $552.9 Billion Budget unveiled; Billions earmarked for major infrastructure, health and education projects President back in Guyana after second round of cancer treatment in Cuba