This government has failed in the health care sector

Jul 31, 2017 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Guyanese sadly kick the bucket way too soon. Data from the CIA World Fact Book for 2017 revealed that roughly only 14 % of the Guyanese population is over 55 years. Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed in 2015 that life expectancy at birth for Guyanese stands at 66.2 years for both sexes, and this is low compared to the global average of 71.4 years. Such statistics indicate that there is a health care problem which can be explained largely by the fact that Guyana is sadly battling a massive health care crisis.
Health care is a fundamental right of every citizen, and Guyana has both government-run hospitals as well private ones, but they provide ghastly medical care. For instance, Mr. Dale Anthony Andrews was refused a prescription from his doctors at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) because the pharmacy was closed. This is downright insanity. Mr. Andrews died at the tender age of 49. His life could have been saved if he had been given his medication when he needed it. In another incident, a pregnant woman, Bibi Gildharry pleaded with health care workers for assistance during labor, but she was insulted and refused help – her unborn baby suffocated in her womb and died. Such stories surface because Guyana is facing a massive health care crisis.
Government desperately needs to bring this crisis under control. And as such, factors driving it need to be identified and be eliminated so as to raise Guyana’s health care standard to match that of Western countries to save lives. It is no secret that our health care is rattled by – lack of funds, lack of skills, lack of medical facilities, unmotivated health care workers, corruption, and politics, among a slew of others. Make no mistake; the APNU/PNC/AFC government knows what needs to be done to bring this crisis under control,
Although, government is heartless, Mr. Joseph Harmon, the Minister of State attempted to defend government’s position by basically contending that his ministers need quality medical care. Such inconsiderate and non-inclusive posture by Mr. Harmon prods the obvious question: aren’t all Guyanese deserving of quality medical care? Absolutely! But not so according to Mr. Harmon. Mr. Harmon clearly treats Guyanese as if they are undeserving.  Government has a notorious track record in this regard. For instance, government allowed the working poor a wage increase of only 5%, but it sharked a whopping 50% increase for itself.
Government also fuels this crisis through political patronage. This is crystal clear when considering that government appoints its political supporters. Such short-sighted appointments saturate our government-run health care and they induce the heart-wrenching health care crisis. Guyanese die daily because politics, votes, and power are worth more to government than human lives. Every Guyanese need to reject such abuse from government.
Further, government fuels this crisis by fast tracking millions of dollars in drug purchase without tender. And by storing our drug supplies in a residential bottom house it rented from an alleged political donor on flood prone Sussex Street. Additionally, government squanders scarce dollars in spite of the fact that lack of funds is a potent factor fueling the health care crisis.
Editor, government rents sprawling mansions to the tune of half million dollars per month. Government even poured millions of dollars into a green fence at the Ministry of Presidency. Government also bilked millions of scarce dollars to fund shady scholarships. Government also wastes exorbitant sums of dollars on frequent first class foreign travels. Further, government pockets a massive salary of 144 million – 204 million per year. Plus government pours at least $144 million per year down the drain on the shady Sussex Street drug bond. In sum, government squanders billions of dollars which are desperately needed to curtail this crisis.
All in all, government and its people have lost faith in Guyana’s health care system. But unlike government, its people cannot afford to fly to Ireland for medical treatment, and they cannot afford foreign medical insurance like government. They solely rely on health care in this country. To this end, government needs to respect the lives of Guyanese and refrain from abusing Guyana’s health care system for personal and political gains.
Also, government needs to be reminded that economic progress which is desperately needed to lift Guyanese out of abject poverty is directly dependent on the health of its people. Government needs to do the right thing.  Last but not least, government needs to know that Guyanese deserve the same quality health care like the one it enjoys from Ireland. After all, we are all human beings.
Annie Baliram

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