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Project to Combat Infectious Diseases Allocated $20 Million

By: , February 25, 2015

The Key Point:

The Government has allocated $20 million for institutional strengthening to combat infectious diseases.

The Facts

  • Details of the Institutional Strengthening to Improve National Surveillance, Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Project are outlined in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the Standing Finance Committee of Parliament.
  • The objective of the project is to strengthen Jamaica’s response to the Chikungunya Virus (ChikV) and prepare for the threat of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

The Full Story

The Government has allocated $20 million for institutional strengthening to combat infectious diseases.

Details of the Institutional Strengthening to Improve National Surveillance, Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Project are outlined in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the Standing Finance Committee of Parliament.

The objective of the project is to strengthen Jamaica’s response to the Chikungunya Virus (ChikV) and prepare for the threat of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

Specifically, the project aims to improve national surveillance systems, establish an institutional coordination mechanism, develop strategies and implement specific actions to prepare for the potential threat of EVD and control the current outbreak of the ChikV.

It is expected that for the fiscal year 2015/16, a national Integrated Vector Control Strategy and Action Plan is to be developed, printed and disseminated, as well as an EVD Preparedness Plan and Road Map, including protocols, guidelines, flow charts and algorithms; and simplified case definitions for use in hospitals and community.

Other targets include the Ministry of Health EVD and ChikV Health Promotion, Education and Communication Strategy developed and implemented, including Risk Communication Strategy; emergency Response Centres established with trained Rapid Response Teams; twenty team members at national and regional levels trained on contact tracing and data management; and key stakeholders trained, including health care workers, community leaders, lay educators, schools, organisations and immigration/port personnel.

The project is being funded through a grant from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Last Updated: February 25, 2015

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