$60M set aside to rent new buildings for incoming Cuban doctors, nurses

The sum of $60 million has been set aside in Budget 2024 for the rental of new buildings for Cuban doctors and nurses, expected to join Guyana’s healthcare system this year.
Some 80 Cuban nurses were recruited in 2023, and another 200 nurses will be added to the system in 2024.
Further, efforts are ongoing to recruit more nurses from other countries, such as China. The provision is catered for under the Health Ministry’s programme for regional and clinical services, which amounts to $90 million for rental of buildings to accommodate health workers brought to work in Guyana.
During day four of the Consideration of the 2024 Budget Estimates of revenue and expenditure, Health Minister Dr. Anthony disclosed that several buildings, including the one at Duke Street in Georgetown, and approximately nine buildings in Linden, Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice), will be utilised this year.
Dr Anthony said Government is working assiduously to meet medium and long-term needs in terms of addressing Guyana’s shortage of nurses as it aims at providing worldclass healthcare.
“Apart from those that we have already, we have set aside another $60 million or so because we are expanding the Cuban brigade. And so we, within the first quarter of this year, (will) have more Cuban doctors and nurses and other technicians coming into Guyana…So we have set aside a sum of money to rent additional buildings for them when they come,” Dr Anthony stated.
Moreover, a substantial amount of money will be expended on maintenance of buildings. This includes $22 million on the ministry’s Head Office at Brickdam, Georgetown; Food Policy Building at Camp and Charlotte Streets, Georgetown; and $32 million on the Hospital Complex in Linden.

Budget 2024
The Health Ministry’s largest budgetary provision of $129.8 billion was approved by the Parliamentary Committee of Supply on Friday, following the passing of Budget 2024.
The $129.8 billion will play a crucial role in upgrading and constructing healthcare facilities, expanding diagnostic care and treatment services, procure medicines and medical supplies, as well as expand tertiary education for health practitioners.
In fact, of that sum, $10.3 billion will go towards the pediatric and maternal hospital at Ogle; another $15.5 billion will go towards the construction of six regional hospitals at Bath, De Kinderen, Diamond, Enmore, Lima and #75 Village.
The minister said substantial investments are being made in plans to tackle key health issues like breast and cervical cancer.
Last year, the health sector got $90.2 billion in budgetary provisions.