Jamaica Secures US$100 Million from IDB to Fight NCDs
By: , April 3, 2019The Key Point:
Photo: Michael Sloley
Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (foreground), displays the signed US$100-million loan agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), for execution of a programme aimed at boosting the country’s fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Looking on (from left) are Chief of Operations, IDB, Jamaica, Adriana La Valley; Chief Medical Officer, Ministry of Health, Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dunston Bryan; and Senior Health Specialist, IDB, Dr. Ricardo Pérez-Cuevas. The signing took place during the launch workshop for the ‘Health Systems Strengthening for the Prevention and Care Management of NCDs Programme’ at the IDB Country Office in St. Andrew on Tuesday (April 2).The Facts
- Dubbed the ‘Health Systems Strengthening for the Prevention and Care Management of NCDs Programme’, the initiative aims to improve the health of Jamaica’s population by bolstering policies for the prevention of NCD risk factors, and implementation of a chronic care model with enhanced access to integrated primary and hospital service networks.
- Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton; and Chief of Operations, IDB in Jamaica, Adriana La Valley, signed the loan agreement during the launch workshop for the programme at the international financial institution’s Country Office in St. Andrew on Tuesday (April 2).
The Full Story
The Ministry of Health has secured US$100 million in loans from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for execution of a programme aimed at boosting the country’s fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Dubbed the ‘Health Systems Strengthening for the Prevention and Care Management of NCDs Programme’, the initiative aims to improve the health of Jamaica’s population by bolstering policies for the prevention of NCD risk factors, and implementation of a chronic care model with enhanced access to integrated primary and hospital service networks.
Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton; and Chief of Operations, IDB in Jamaica, Adriana La Valley, signed the loan agreement during the launch workshop for the programme at the international financial institution’s Country Office in St. Andrew on Tuesday (April 2).
The loan comprises two complementary elements – a US$50-million Programmatic Policy-Based (PBP) loan and a US$50-million investment loan.
The Programmatic Policy-based Loan will facilitate measures to address prevention and control through a people-centered primary health chronic care model.
On the other hand, the investment element comprises three components – US$40,155,000 for the organisation and consolidation of integrated health services networks; US$7,500 for the improvement of management, quality and efficiency of health services; and US$2,345,000 for programme administration and evaluation.
It includes upgrading and rehabilitation of health facilities and purchase of medical equipment; strengthening diagnostic services; design and implementation of an Electronic Health Record platform; and strengthening of telehealth/telemedicine capacity, among other things.
Dr. Tufton said that the programme is “transformational (and) represents for us, an opportunity that we should take advantage of to change the narrative (and)… culture of public health in the interest of achieving better health and wellness for our population, which is our ultimate objective”.
He commended the IDB for making the investment in Jamaica, and noted the
Government’s commitment to achieving the programme objectives.
The three-day workshop aims to garner stakeholder input on the scope and execution of the ‘Health Systems Strengthening for the Prevention and Care Management of NCDs Programme’ for the benefit of all Jamaicans.