In addition to the increases ranging from 20% to 75% announced for doctors, nurses, and allied health workers on Monday by President Irfaan Ali, the government has also moved to address an anomaly in the system to ensure that all doctors across the country can benefit from experience-based pay increases.
The increases in the salaries of these workers will benefit over 5,000 healthcare professionals and will increase disposable incomes by over $1.5 billion annually.
But there is also an anomaly in the gradual pay increases offered to doctors and other healthcare professionals on the premise of experience and years of service.
Historically, doctors at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) are recognised for the years of service they have with an increase in pay offered for every additional year they spend in the public healthcare system.
That did not obtain at healthcare facilities in the rest of the country.
But according to Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, “We are fixing that anomaly now.”
“So, across the entire public healthcare system, whether you’re working in GPHC or Linden Hospital or Mabaruma or New Amsterdam or Lethem Hospital, wherever you are working…”
“…This graduated system that remunerates you at one level and moves you up when you quality fully as a doctor. That arrangement which was previously obtained only at GPHC is not applied across the entire system,” Dr. Singh added.
The Finance Minister joined Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony for a special discussion moments after the President’s announcement on Monday, offering further details on the remunerated benefits being offered.
“That matters because we want to make sure that the same incentives that exist for young doctors to stay at GPHC also exist for doctors throughout the system,” Dr. Singh said in support of Dr. Anthony’s explanation that the government was looking to attract and retain young professionals and not only improving salaries but also infrastructure and working environments across the system.
Dr. Anthony believes that improvements in the last two years have already resulted in keeping more professionals in Guyana.
“I don’t think people really want to leave, some did that because of better opportunities abroad but we are building new facilities and buying new equipment.
“The environment here is changing drastically along with the training offered, we intend to allow people to be proud to be here and do cutting-edge medicine,” he added.
According to Dr. Anthony, with this increase in salary, Guyana’s healthcare systems stand to become more competitive while offering better quality care.
“We want to get the healthcare system up to a point where even persons from the Caribbean and diaspora can come here.
“Wherever in the world you are, Guyanese must be comfortable coming back home and seeking medical care,” Dr. Singh added.
This is impressive indeed as in my view, it is a symbol of the Government’s recognition of it’s vital
health care delivers.
Even though it is not really in keeping with the inflation rate it is providing an increase in the disposable income of these workers .
It should be noted also, that while this is happening in Guyana it has not occurred in other countries as yet!