Finance Minister Colm Imbert’s recent remarks regarding the escalating expenses associated with the Chronic Disease Assistance Programme (CDAP) and healthcare services have sparked nationwide interest.
In justifying his decision to boost the Ministry of Health’s budget by over $500 million during Parliament’s Standing Finance Committee session on Monday, Minister Imbert spoke of the exponential growth in the delivery of free healthcare services in the last two decades, from $1 billion to $5 billion annually.
It was then the minister emphasised the growing difficulty in offering free pharmaceuticals and other services within the healthcare sector, although he pledged the Government would continue to support this endeavour due to its utmost importance.
We are content that the minister acknowledges the significance of this programme.
However, Minister Imbert, being a seasoned politician, should also recognise the potential uneasiness it can create among the population when such matters arise.
While we firmly believe the Government should always prioritise transparency and honesty when dealing with the population, as Minister Imbert did on Monday by pointing out the challenges Government faces, it is important to acknowledge that the CDAP programme primarily serves the most vulnerable members of our society.
Even the slightest hint that it could become too burdensome creates anxiety among citizens, and considering the prevailing heavy atmosphere due to crime and economic challenges, it becomes even more imperative that Government reassures the population of its commitment to their well-being.
While we understand that tough economic times require tough decisions, there are some things that must be given much more attention than others.
The healthcare system in T&T is still far from achieving its goals, as evidenced by the prolonged waiting times and overcrowded wards in public hospitals, which force many to seek more expensive private healthcare that is out of reach for the less fortunate members of our society.
The recent incidents of numerous deaths occurring at the neonatal ward of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital have done nothing to instil faith in the direction we are heading.
So too, the long-standing pledge to establish a National Oncology Centre, which remains unrealised almost two decades since it was first announced.
If the Government genuinely wishes to show its concern about how money is spent in the public healthcare system, it should carefully assess the factors contributing to the disparity between its financial allocations and the expected level of service.
Prioritising the reduction of inefficiencies and unnecessary expenses within the sector is key but expressing concerns about the excessive funds allocated for free pharmaceuticals without presenting viable alternatives for better healthcare can only add to existing negative public sentiments.
And while this may not have been Minister Imbert’s intention, he must be reminded that his track record of cutting subsidies on gasoline and his Government’s decision to close Petrotrin, after Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley indicated that he wouldn’t, have led to broad public scepticism on matters like these.
The Government is set to unveil its mid-year budget review in the coming days, preceding the September budget as we approach an election year. It is crucial, therefore, that its transparency and candour extend beyond merely identifying the challenges in funding CDAP and similar programmes that support the most at-risk individuals, by providing viable solutions to reassure the public that essential subsidies will remain intact.