Grenada Today - Mar 06, 2004

Minister of Health Senator Ann David -Antoine has cleared the air on the proposed introduction of new hospital user fees as mentioned in the presentation of the 2004 budget.

The Minister informed the local media on Tuesday that consultations will be held with them and that a final decision with regards to fees will be made when there is feedback from the consultation process.

The consultative process will determine what changes, if any, are made in the future. In determining final hospital charges, fees in other countries will be taken into consideration.

At present there are fees for investigative procedures at the General Hospital. From March 1, all resident non-nationals and visitors will be charged a fee of US$100 or EC$300 for services received at the Accident/Emergency Department at the General Hospital.

The fees will remain the same for private wards and blocks.
Sen. Antoine reiterated Government's commitment to providing quality health care for all Grenadians, whether or not they are able to pay for these services. She said that a Needs Assessment Programme is being conducted to determine the patients who are able to pay for medical care.

The Minister said she is pleased to note that most people who are able to pay for the services are happy to do so.