Health Minister Walter Roban announced yesterday the Department of Health reduced its budget by $98,000.

In the House of Assembly Minister Roban said $32.46 million out of a total health budget of $181 million had been allocated for the Department of Health this year.

That amount, Mr. Roban said was a decrease of $98,000 from the original estimate for last year's budget of $32,558,000.

Leader of the Opposition, Kim Swan congratulated the Department on taking heed of the Finance Minister's directive to cut budgets and reducing it by $98,000.

"I won't reflect on the other 30 seconds I was given to speak," he said referring to Monday's session which saw the Premier use the entire two hours session devoted to Cabinet Office spending leaving the Opposition only 30 seconds, "but I want to say this particular Department has done what the leader of this country has been unable to do."

The Minister also explained last year's health department budget showed an overall decrease from $32,558,000 to $31,558,000.

The $1 million decrease was transferred to Ministry Head Quarters to assist with the Lady Cubitt Compassionate Association (LCCA) grant which helps those who need health care abroad.

During the briefing Minister Roban praised, amongst others, the work of Chief Medical Officer Dr John Cann and the collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Health School Coordinator for "Healthy Schools".

Mr. Roban then outlined the five sections covered by the Department of Health including community health, dental health, environmental health, the central government laboratory and administration.

He explained that the personal health area, which includes rehabilitation services, immunisation, family planning, cancer screen and long-term residences was given $23,947,000 a decrease of $86,000 from original estimate of last year.

Mr. Roban explained this was due to reallocation of funding within the Ministry.

Oral Health, which assures dental health for children received $1,678,000 or a one percent increase while environmental health also was increased by $3,000 to $3,666,000 from last year's estimates.

The Central Government Laboratory was downgraded by three percent to $1,107,000 from last year while the department's administration increased by $7,000 to $2,062,000

Manpower estimate was up from 315 to 317 from last year and $2,070,000 was set aside under capital acquisitions to replace vehicles essential to the work of Community and Environmental health, upgrade Environmental Health and Clinical Lab systems and refurbish areas at Lefroy House.

Revenues from registration of health care professionals, medication sales, vaccines, clinical service fees and patient fees from Lefroy House are expected to be $2,043,000 in the upcoming year.

Yesterday Shadow Health Minister Louise Jackson thanked the Minister for his report, but said more should have been done for seniors.

She said: "Thank you to the Minster responsible for providing the time to debate health, I appreciate it."

But she then added: "I was stunned to see after all these years they are refurbishing Lefroy House. I still cannot understand why the seniors are the last ones to be taken care of.

"I think this started in 2004 and this is 2010 and we are still allocating money to try and get this facility into a state that is comfortable and healthy for seniors."

She added that it was wrong the Government had Lefroy House, which she would give a 'D' grade to, in the west and the Sylvia Richardson facility in the east, which she would give an 'A' to with nothing in the middle.

Mrs. Jackson also spoke of the importance of teaching children about health and said it was not acceptable that Government's seniors facilities were only found to be serving nutritional meals 86 percent of the time, adding that it should be 100 percent.

While Donte Hunt, of the Bermuda Democratic Alliance, said it was important to address health issues pre-emptively, so they did not cost the Government more in the long run. And he said it was excellent that all public schools had a health programme in them.