Trudy Simpson, Staff ReporterWHILE STILL owing suppliers approximately $760 million, the Ministry of Health said yesterday that it had drastically reduced its overall debt from $3.5 billion owed in statutory deductions to various companies since early last year.
The ministry was responding to allegations from Generation 2000 (G2K), the young professional arm of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), accusing the Health Ministry of mismanagement and of being in debt to the tune of $3.5 billion.
"The amount of $3.5 billion was the amount outstanding at the end of the Financial Year 2004," the ministry said. "Since then, the Ministry of Finance provided $2.5 billion to cover outstanding statutory deductions for the period prior to 2004-5, and we have made further payments to reduce the debt to suppliers from $1 billion to the above stated $760 million."
G2K, however, had pointed out that the problems in the system were revealed by an audit of the major health facilities across the country conducted by its Policy Think Tank.
POOR CONDITIONS WITHOUT JOB SECURITY
It also noted that there were approximately 20 doctors serving more than 600,000 of the poorest people at the primary level and health centres are without basic supplies. The organisation also cited cases where doctors worked long hours in poor conditions without job certainty, a contract, pay or travel and health benefits.
Not so, responded the ministry, noting that the financial data was arrived at from outdated information. It dismissed the claims as ludicrous, saying the increases in user fees are aimed at improving the health services and that there were many doctors in the health system, all of whom are entitled to benefits.
"The gap between budgetary allocation and demand requires some prioritising of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, with the focus on the purchase of life saving, vital items such as IV fluids, antibiotic injections, anaesthetics," the health ministry said. "While financial constraints have indeed affected plant maintenance, every effort is made to uphold reasonable standards."
