Private Sector to Incentivise Vaccination Drive

In a bid to encourage more Jamaicans to get vaccinated, the Health for Life and Wellness Foundation is seeking to provide incentives in collaboration with private sector companies.

This was disclosed by Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Hon. Christopher Tufton during Thursday’s (August 12) virtual COVID Conversations press conference.

“I have been having some discussions with the team and with external stakeholders. We do have a foundation, the Health and Wellness Foundation in the Ministry and that foundation, led by Courtney Cephas has been charged to reach out to traditional partners in the private sector and to see how we can work out incentivising take-up of the vaccines,” he stated.

Mr. Cephas may be reached at cephasc@moh.gov.jm

“Now you would have heard in some countries where persons are given money and land, fast food and quick service meal tickets and all that. The principle is similar, we don’t have any money or land to give but we do think that some private sector companies can offer a voucher towards purchasing your next weekly grocery, a voucher that may go towards fueling a car, gas voucher,” he said.

He informed that the Ministry is engaging in dialogue with a few companies who have expressed an interest in the collaboration.

He encouraged other companies to support the initiative. “I’m using the opportunity to encourage companies who see the restoration of economic activity as essential and the health of the country as critical to the health of their business, to define a role for yourself, not just to commit to getting your employees to take the vaccine but also importantly, where you can, be a part of this incentivisation,” he said.

The Foundation is a charitable organisation in keeping with the Charities Act of 2013.