Health Minister Dr Lakram Bodoe says while government spending on healthcare has increased dramatically over the years, rising demand continues to place pressure on the system, making partnerships with the private sector and NGOs increasingly important.
Speaking at the launch of the Beyond Vision initiative on Thursday between Paria Fuel Trading Company and the Save Eyes Everywhere S.E.E. Foundation, Minister Bodoe noted that the national healthcare budget has grown almost twofold over the past 15 years.
He said despite a major increase in healthcare spending, demand for services continues to outpace available resources.
“It’s important, you know, from where we sit at the Ministry level and at the government level, to understand that the cost of health care is rising. In 2010, the health care budget was $4.2 billion. In 2025, that rose to $8.2 billion. And you might be asking yourself, the healthcare budget has doubled in that time period. But still, there is need, because the need is still great. And therefore, it is very important when we have collaboration and partnerships like this to fill the gap.”