Leadership, cooperation a must for universal healthcare
IF JAMAICA and other countries are to progress towards Universal Health Care (UHC), greater leadership and cooperation at the regional and international levels are essential.
This is according to Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton, in his address to the World Health Assembly in Geneva last week.
Jamaica’s journey to UHC, Tufton said, is evidenced by, among other things, a 10-year strategic plan for the health sector and a road map for a national health insurance plan.
“The strategic plan will build on our achievements in the area of primary healthcare, utilising the framework of Integrated Health Service Delivery Networks to create a robust health system based on primary care delivery,” he said.
“With the current epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), we must also place more emphasis on prevention and health promotion through multisectoral partnerships and mainstreaming health in all policies. The Government of Jamaica continues to provide leadership in advocating behavioural modification, public education and moving towards regulation in order to address Jamaica’s NCD epidemic,” the minister added.
CRITICAL COMPONENT
At the same time, Tufton said the elimination of financial barriers, including at public health facilities, is a critical component of Jamaica’s drive to provide UHC.
“We have taken steps to, for example, abolish user fees and provide protection for citizens living with NCDs through the creation of the National Health Fund and the Jamaica Drugs for the Elderly Programme. These are not easy decisions. However, this must be done to achieve equity and protection,” he maintained.
Tufton acknowledged that Jamaica cannot achieve its national development goal of a healthy and stable population on its own. It was against this background that he called for “greater leadership and coordination at the regional and international levels” and for technical assistance to strengthen health information systems and the health workforce.