KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Ministry of Health has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to implement the ‘New Limb, New Life’ Initiative.
The J$50-million initiative aims to provide prostheses for patients losing limbs due to a health condition or trauma.
The signatories were Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton and Labour and Social Security Minister Pearnel Charles Jr, who signed the MOU during Wednesday’s post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.
Tufton said that under the initiative, the Health Ministry will collaborate with the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) to identify beneficiaries.
“The Ministry of Health will not determine who these beneficiaries are. We will hand that over to the Disabilities Foundation through the Ministry of Labour because they currently have a database. That database is a revolving base, [and] that’s where persons with disabilities go,” he stated.
Tufton indicated that the program aims to support persons who cannot afford to acquire a prosthetic leg or arm.
The Minister pointed out that nearly 90 percent of persons who lose a limb yearly do so due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly diabetes.
“That’s a significant health concern. So part of our intention is to give those persons a second chance… help them to reintegrate into society because there are a lot of mental health issues associated [with] losing a limb.
“Help them to become more economically viable, give them a sense of hope… but also highlighting the consequences of lifestyle diseases, the consequences of diabetes and, in some instances, using some of these persons who volunteer as testimonials to enhance a more health-seeking posture by the population generally,” he stated.
He said the Ministry looks forward to working with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the JCPD to advance the program.
The New Limb, New Life program was first announced in May by Dr. Tufton’s 2023/24 Sectoral Debate presentation.
He said it will be supported through the Ministry’s Compassionate Care Programme.
“Several persons have been enquiring [and] have signed up. They work primarily with Sir John Golding [Rehabilitation Centre], which is the facility that deals specifically with trauma related to limb loss.”
The New Limb, New Life program supports the ‘#KnowYourNumbers’ initiative. It aims to get Jamaicans to do regular screenings to ascertain their health status and modify their behavior to reduce illness and premature death.
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