Opposition spokesman on Finance Dr Peter Phillips says his side will not support “wholesale depletion” of National Health Fund (NHF) resources to address problems affecting health facilities.

“We have heard statements attributed to the honourable minister of health, indicating that he would be looking towards the trust fund of the National Health Fund to assist in financing the capital works for the Ministry of Health,” Dr Phillips told the House of Representatives yesterday.

“The members on this side of the House would wish to warn the Administration that we will not be party to a wholesale depletion of the trust fund, which currently stands at $9.4 billion,” he added.

Dr Phillips noted that the fund was established to provide a medication subsidy for people suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, cancer, obesity, heart problems, among others.

“While we recognise the need for urgent funding to assist the ailing health sector, it is critical that this be done in a sustainable way,” the Opposition spokesman said.

Phillips was responding to a statement made by Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, when he appeared at the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives recently, to address health issues in the 2017/18 budget.

Dr Tufton said then that his ministry had started discussions with the NHF, and would be making a “sympathetic” case to the Cabinet for a capital upgrading of Cornwall Regional Hospital, and a range of other facilities which have not received attention over an extended period of time.

He said that the ministry was looking at how much of the almost $10 billion the NHF has in its reserves, could be utilised in addressing these problems.