PAC hearing: 75% rise in Reg 1 health cost linked to influx of Venezuelan migrants

During Monday’s sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), a whopping 75 per cent increase in medical costs in Region One (Barima/Waini) during 2019 was probed, with the region claiming that this increase was due to the influx of migration into the region.
At the time, PAC member Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo questioned increases in medical costs that were recorded by the Audit Office of Guyana in 2019, when it commented on the finances of the Region One Regional Democratic Council (RDC).
“The region requested $75 Million, which they returned to the Ministry of Health in a warrant. They subsequently received $134 Million, which is about $55 Million more than they had projected they would need in the region. It raises some questions.”
“Did the region requisition for these drugs? Or did the Ministry just send it to you because they had the drugs to send to you? The second thing is, was there an outbreak? A particular reason why these drugs were needed in the region?”
The PAC member further questioned why did the region seek drug supplies that were 75 per cent above what had previously been budgeted for. In response, the Region One Regional Executive Officer (REO), Sewchand, attributed this to the influx of remigrants.

“I was so advised that we had an influx of remigrants. Our patient load increased over the period. And that has caused the increase of pharmaceutical and medical supplies,” the REO explained to the committee.
Mahadeo pointed out, however, that the increase in the demand for drugs and medical supplies is by 75 per cent. As such, he did not find this answer satisfactory, a view echoed by the Chairman of the PAC, Jermaine Figueira.
When further clarification was sought, however, the Regional Health Officer Dr. Steven Cheefoon who was present, could not immediately provide such. Cheefoon explained that while he could not say exactly what drove the increase in medical care at the time, equal medical service is provided to both Guyanese, as well as remigrants.
Indeed, at the time, back in 2019 Guyana particularly Region One, had seen an influx of migrants and remigrants from neighbouring Venezuela, amid the social and political crisis in that country. At the time, the Port Health Department were also examining migrants at various posts in the region.
The Guyana Government does have a policy on offering support for the migrants fleeing hardships and a worsening economic crisis in Venezuela, where authorities are geared up to provide key services to the vulnerable.
This was according to Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd as he chaired a meeting earlier this year of the Multi-Agency Coordinating Committee to address the influx of migrants from Venezuela into Guyana.
The first Committee meeting for the year was attended by the relevant government stakeholders and international partners who collectively set the agenda in principle for the Committee to continue its work with regard to providing the necessary humanitarian assistance to those migrants, inclusive of returning Guyanese fleeing the economic hardships in Venezuela.
Todd noted that the long-term objective is to integrate these migrants into Guyanese society, but in the meantime, the respective agencies are tasked with combining resources to provide services in key areas such as healthcare, education, labour, sanitation, shelter, food and clothing for the most vulnerable.
In Guyana, all children of migrants, legal and illegal, from Venezuela and other countries are allowed full access to be enrolled in the public school system within the host communities, and to benefit from Government-funded support programmes including school feeding programmes, school uniform vouchers, and the “Because We Care” cash grants given to all students.
As of March 2024, reports indicated that about 40,000 Venezuelan migrants are residing in Guyana, with only 21,704 officially documented. (G-3)