Minister Marin Explains N.H.I. Budget Cut

Pablo Marin

Last week, we reported that government had decided to cut the National Health Insurance’s Annual Budget as part of cost saving measures.  In order to sustain the programme and the operations of Primary Care Providers, past the fifteenth of July, clients have had to pay for services.  The cut to N.H.I. was initially a whopping forty percent of budgets but early this week, we are told, that was reversed to a twenty percent. According to Minister of Health Pablo Marin, discussions have been had with Prime Minister Dean Barrow regarding the budget. Minister Marin says that the cuts will only be carried out in Belize City.

Pablo Marin, Minister of Health

“With the N.H.I., I have already discussed that with the Prime Minister, the C.E.O. and Doctor Manzanero about what we will be doing. The cut that was done to the N.H.I. will not affect the rest of the country. It is only in Belize City certain services, not all but at the end of the day the Ministry of Health has to take over for whatever slack is being done by the N.H.I.”