Govt. tells IDB not to disclose all information on US$97M loan for Health Sector

Dec 18, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government has secured approval for a US$97M loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

This funding forms part of US$160M line of credit made available to the country by the financial institution for strengthening Guyana’s healthcare network. However, the government has asked the bank not to disclose all documents for the loan.

When Kaieteur News recently attempted to access the document titled: Project Profile GY‐O0010 – GY‐L1080 Guyana, it said, “At the request of the borrowing country, the information contained in this document will not be disclosed.” A screenshot of the said page is also attached to this news item.

The IDB added, as can be seen on the picture, “The non-disclosure of this document is in accordance with the ‘country-specific information’ exception in paragraph 4.1 i of the Bank’s Access to Information Policy.”

Other documentation available for the loan notes that the US$97M will be used to improve the health of the Guyanese population through increased access, quality, and efficiency of health services by improving health outcomes associated with low and high complexity procedures.

This will be done by expanding the capacity of strategic hospitals; by extending coverage of diagnostic, medical consultation, and patient management services, inclusive of the country’s hinterlands, through digital health; and by increasing the efficiency of the public health system, by strengthening key logistic, management, and support processes and inputs.

The project is also expected to target infrastructure improvement and expansion in seven priority hospitals, namely the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital (NARH) and the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), as well as four District Hospitals located in the hinterland (Moruca, Kamarang, Kato, and Lethem).

Further, the Bank said that as part of the investment project activities, the line of credit will also finance Guyana’s plans for a digital transformation in health, including the expansion of the teleradiology and teleophthalmology networks.

“Finally, it will strengthen supply chain management, improve the provision of maternal and child health, and contribute to pandemic and emergency preparedness, among other activities,” the Bank said noting that the programme includes a gender and diversity assessment to identify and address health disparities by gender, ethnicity, and disability status.

Additionally, it said it contributes to climate change mitigation and adaptation by financing health infrastructure that is environmentally sustainable and resilient to climate change.

The IDB loan has an amortization period of 25 years, a grace period of 5.5 years, and an interest rate based on Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR).

Through the programme, Guyana’s population will have greater access to improved clinical and diagnostic services. The seven hospitals benefiting from the project have a catchment population of around 406,000 persons, over 50% of the population. In addition, the telemedicine activities installed in 18 hospital and polyclinic sites will reach all 10 of the country’s regions, including the hinterlands. The maternal and child essential health services package under the loan will be rolled out in hinterland communities for Region One, Seven and Eight which have a total population of around 57,777 inhabitants.