Cabinet Told of Smooth Implementation of Exemption Health Policy for Children

Minister of Health, Horace Dalley has reported to Cabinet that the policy on exemption from user fees for children under 18 years old at all public health facilities, which went into effect on May 28, was “smoothly implemented.”
Minister of Information and Development, Donald Buchanan, speaking at the (May 28), post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, outlined that under the new ‘No User Fee’ policy, children under 18 years old would access health services such as, medical examination by doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners and dental nurses in health centres or hospitals, diagnostic tests, such as X-rays and laboratory tests, free of cost.
The Information Minister noted further that, services such as immunization, nutrition monitoring, ante-natal care, post-natal care, family planning and other fist line primary health care procedures were also free. “Hospital admissions for medical treatment, surgery, anaesthesia, delivery, suturing are also free.
Pharmaceuticals such as medications and injections usually provided in the government health care system are free,” he pointed out.
Mr. Buchanan noted that any other services such as CT scan and other new technologies that might become available in the future would also be provided to children free of cost.