Positive Response to Adopt-a-clinic Initiative

Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says there has been positive stakeholder response to the Government’s invitation for participation in the Adopt-a-Clinic Initiative.

A total of 100 of the country’s 320 public health centres have been shortlisted by the Government under the project, which seeks to attract and identify stakeholders who will adopt the facilities and provide the requisite basic needs and resources that better enables those institutions to deliver improved quality services to persons in the communities they are located.

Dr. Tufton said since the project’s launch in 2017, one facility, the Enfield Health Centre in St. Mary, has been adopted by the Jamaica55 Charities Group, United Kingdom, comprising members of the Jamaican Diaspora in that country.

The entity, which has expressed an interest in adopting five centres, raised $5 million towards this endeavour, a cheque for which was presented to Dr. Tufton during his recent visit to London, England.

Speaking with journalists at the Enfield Health Centre, following the presentation of a cheque for $1 million from the funds received to the facility’s management, Dr. Tufton said, overall, there are 10 clinics for which adoption arrangements are being finalized with entities indicating their desire to participate in the programme.

These, he informed, are among 50 of the 100 shortlisted centres for which expressions of interest have been received.

“The expressions of interest involve, primarily, quite a number of local corporate entities…and (members of the) Diaspora, in particular the UK Diaspora. They have really come out powerfully in terms of organizing fundraising events. So it’s a combination of the Diaspora and local corporate entities. It’s been going very well… (and) we are very happy about the response,” the Minister indicated.

Dr. Tufton said this indicated that Jamaicans at home and overseas are interested in and keen on providing support to boost public healthcare delivery locally.

“They understand the limitations of Government, they understand the contribution of these communities to (their personal and professional development, and) they really want to help our communities and country (by focusing on) the places where they grew up or worked in the past or currently. So the Adopt-a-Clinic concept has really appealed to them,” he contended.

Dr. Tufton noted that many of the persons, particularly members of Diaspora, making donations do so in an ad-hoc manner pointing out that “some may arrange a one-day event or an entity may organize a work day”.

“What we have done is to create a vehicle, an organized way for them to firstly understand the demands in the facilities… what are the basic needs… and secondly, a channel and a forum to respond to those needs by providing the support, knowing that, that support is going to do what they would like it to do, which is to enhance the facility,” he stated.