HGP Nightly News – Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed has sharply criticised the government following the death of 12-year-old Marlon Jupiter, who succumbed to T-lymphoblastic lymphoma while his family struggled to raise funds for overseas treatment.
Mohamed described the situation as a “national disgrace,” noting that while the 2026 national budget allocated $161.1 billion to the health sector, Marlon’s family was left to publicly appeal for just $7.3 million Guyana dollars (US$35,000) to cover the cost of a bone marrow transplant abroad.
“This is the reality of Guyana today,” Mohamed said. “The government boasts of billions for hospitals, equipment, and upgrades, yet a child dies because critical treatment is unavailable here and his family could not raise the money in time.”
He contrasted the shortfall against other allocations, pointing out that the Office of the President received $300 million and the Men on a Mission programme $900 million for humanitarian works, while Marlon’s family was forced to rely on donations. Mohamed further criticised what he described as wasteful spending on conferences, travel, and procurement practices, claiming that ministerial kickbacks often exceed the amount Marlon’s family needed.
“What is the value of building hospitals if life-saving treatments remain out of reach? What is the purpose of record-breaking budgets if they cannot save lives?” he asked. Mohamed called for a policy shift to ensure that when specialised medical services are unavailable locally, the state steps in to fund overseas treatment immediately, without delay or bureaucracy.
“We long to see a government that truly puts people first and values service above self,” Mohamed said.
