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Less people seek overseas treatment – Health Minister

Feb 15, 2009 News

The number of persons seeking medical assistance from the Ministry of Health for overseas treatment is reducing. This is according to Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, who, at his most recent press conference, noted that the reduction is due to the improvement in the increased number of services being introduced at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Last year, the Government invested $78 million in the health sector by providing medical assistance to Guyanese who needed care that is not routinely available at the public or private hospitals and who had to seek overseas attention.

Approximately 292 persons requested assistance from the Ministry of Health last year, and out of that, 75 percent of them obtained their services right here in Guyana.

“This is a change, because, in previous years, they had to go abroad to USA, Trinidad, Barbados, Cuba and Jamaica for the support,” Minister Ramsammy said.

About five years ago, 100 percent of the medical assistance provided was for overseas treatment; but now, according to Minister Ramsammy, only 25 percent of what the ministry provides is for overseas treatment.

“What that tells you is that the services have been developed right here, mainly through a public and private partnership… so cancer treatment they used to go abroad for, but now it is available in Guyana through collaboration with the private/public sector.”

Other services that were sought overseas include cardiac diagnosis and geograms, open-heart surgery and hip and joint replacements.

All of these can now be accessed at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Meanwhile, the hospital will also conduct plastic surgery and transfers from one part of the body to another part.

The average assistance per person when they travel for overseas treatment is close to $700,000 per person, but now, for a person who accesses care in Guyana, it amounts to only $186,000.
“What that shows is that the same service that people used to go abroad for and needed up to a million dollars support they can obtain it right in Guyana at a quarter of the assistance that they need.”

Minister Ramsammy explained that this is a significant development in the health sector, as he committed that the administration will continue to provide these kinds of services in Guyana, and even though it’s a paid service that is being developed, people can obtain it at a reduced cost.

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