Opposition sinks funding for specialty hospital

Minister of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran gestures as he speaks during the consideration of estimates for the 2014 Budget under ‘health’ in the National Assembly yesterday. (Photo by Arian Browne)

The opposition yesterday voted down a $1.3 billion allocation for the health sector that includes financing for the controversial specialty hospital.

The allocation was part of $21.5 billion to be allocated for the health sector in the government’s proposed $220 billion budget.

A sum of $910 million for the hospital was lumped with other allocations for other projects under the budget line item ‘Regional and Clinical Services’ in Capital expenditure, which included funds for upgrades to health care facilities countrywide,