“Supply of pharmaceuticals is at 90%” – Anthony slams Opposition for accusation of supply crisis

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, has refuted claims made by the Opposition regarding a pharmaceutical supply crisis, asserting that under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government, the supply of essential drugs and medical supplies is at 90 percent across the system.

During his address at Day four of the 2025 Budget Debate, Dr. Anthony criticised the former A Partnership for National Unity – Alliance For Change (APNU-AFC) Coalition Administration for what he described as a history of mismanagement and inefficiency in the health sector during their tenure.
These comments came on the heels of remarks made by Opposition Member of Parliament Dr. Karen Cummings, who labelled the fiscal package for 2025 as an expensive illusion that fails to address the real struggles of the Guyanese people, coupled with what she termed as deteriorating healthcare system.
According to the Dr. Cummings, the number of hospital beds per 10,000 citizens remains lower than it was 30 years ago, despite nearly $400 billion spent on the health sector.
“Hospitals cannot treat patients with missing medicines. This is not just inefficiency; it is reckless mismanagement. The Honourable Minister must immediately implement an electronic logistic management information system, the ELMIS, to track the stock, the usage of the drugs, and the losses. No more expired drugs. No more empty shelves. No more excuses”.
“The coalition was working to build a reliable health care system and one that recognized the commitment and sacrifice coming from our health care workers. The spiteful and reckless conduct of this government with its refusal to pay nurses a decent wage, and to honour them for their sacrifice and commitment to this country has now left every citizen depending on few nurses for care and the remaining nurses seeking second jobs. It is not surprising, yet it’s worrisome, because the data shows that we now have 23 nurses for every 10,000,” Dr. Cummings told the National Assembly.
In response, Dr Anthony highlighted the several instances of alleged Opposition corruption and poor governance, including the controversial Sussex Street bond scandal, which saw the government paying millions for an unused facility.
Dr. Anthony pointed also to reports from the Auditor General, which outlined significant shortages of essential drugs during the APNU/AFC administration.
According to the findings, between 2015 and 2017, 43 percent of health centres and hospitals across Guyana experienced critical shortages of medical supplies, with some facilities waiting over 1,000 days for vital medications such as Quinine for malaria and Metformin for diabetes.
“Mr. Speaker. drugs and medical supplies, according to the Auditor General, were constantly out of stock. And in this report of the Auditor General, for the period 2015 to 2017, when they did the audit, they said the facilities, 43% of the supplies for the health centres, hospitals across this country. Not only that, Mr. Speaker, the waiting time for drugs to go to a health centre was on average 50 days”.
“Come with the facts because under this government…under this government, the supplies of pharmaceuticals are at 90% across the system. Compare with your 43; compare with your 43, and this will record,” the Minister countered.
Dr. Anthony emphasized that in contrast, under the PPP/C administration, the availability of pharmaceuticals has dramatically improved.
He cited a recent delivery of 6,000 Panadol tablets to a local health centre as proof that the government is adequately stocking medical facilities to meet the needs of the people.
Beyond the pharmaceutical supply issue, Dr. Anthony took aim at the opposition’s handling of the health sector, including their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He criticized the previous administration for delays in acquiring Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and setting up testing infrastructure.
According to Dr. Anthony, the APNU/AFC government took months to establish proper COVID-19 testing, leaving the country unprepared at the onset of the pandemic.
Dr. Anthony also accused the opposition of prioritizing political manoeuvring over national health concerns, stating that instead of effectively managing the pandemic, they were preoccupied with election-related controversies.
“The Guyanese people have grown weary of the APNU/AFC’s rhetoric. While they attempt to spread misinformation, the reality is that we have significantly improved healthcare delivery,” Dr. Anthony asserted.
He further accused the Opposition of being out of touch with the needs of the people, stating that the government is focused on improving healthcare, infrastructure, and job opportunities to build a prosperous Guyana.