Health Ministry Receives Equipment to Support Electronic Immunisation Registry

Jamaica’s push towards a fully digitised healthcare system received a major boost, with the handover of US$1.3 million worth of equipment to support the country’s Electronic Immunisation Registry (EIR).

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, was on hand to receive the equipment, during a handover ceremony held at the St. Ann Health Department in St. Ann on December 11.

The EIR is a digital system designed to track all vaccine doses administered to individuals, and it replaces traditional paper records with a more efficient and reliable method of data collection and storage.

The donation was done as part of a partnership involving the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), the Pan American Health Organization, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Government of Canada.

In his remarks, Dr. Tufton said the equipment was an important piece of infrastructure to support 18 EIR pilot projects currently under way across the island.

“We’re in a pilot stage… which includes two private entities. That’s significant because it’s not just about the public [health] system. It’s about all the systems around immunisation. We want one set of data that represents the entire society to do several things,” he stated.

According to the Minister, having one integrated system for immunisation data across the country will allow health authorities to clearly identify gaps, monitor communities or institutions with low response rates and plan targeted interventions.

Moreover, Dr. Tufton said the ability to analyse data in real time, also means the health system can respond more quickly and effectively to public health needs.

“There are many times that people want their immunisation records and they can’t find it, or they have to wait long because they wanted to do their business, to travel, to do other things,” Dr. Tufton explained.

“The practical reality and benefit of it is that if you’re digitised and properly stored, then retrieval of your records makes it a lot easier. That’s a big benefit for business, for personal reasons and, indeed, for health reasons,” he added.

The Minister indicated that the timing of the initiative was also critical, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

He pointed out that the category-five system resulted in the loss of important documents for both patients and healthcare workers, and so moving towards a digital system reduces the vulnerability to damage from natural disasters.

In the meantime, Canada’s High Commissioner to Jamaica, His Excellency Mark Berman, noted that Canada was pleased to support Jamaica in reaching this milestone in modernising its health system.

He said the EIR will drive evidence-based decision-making in healthcare, as well as build a foundation for stronger health planning and outcomes.

High Commissioner Berman outlined that Canada’s support, delivered in partnership with PAHO and UNICEF, went beyond just the equipment.

“This comprehensive support has included targeted technical systems, collaboration on an integrated workplan led by the MOHW to guide the piloting of the EIR solution and a study tour to Uruguay by Jamaican health officials to gain valuable EIR insight and best practices,” he underscored.

“Canada congratulates the MOHW for its leadership [and] dedication to this transformative initiative, and we look forward to see the successful implementation of the EIR,” he added.