KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC -Jamaica has partnered with the Philippines, allowing the countries to collaborate more effectively in addressing human resources challenges in healthcare.
Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton and Secretary of Public Health in the Philippines Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on health cooperation.
It includes faculty or trainer exchanges; training and certification of health professionals; capacity-building and knowledge sharing in biotechnology, medical equipment, epidemiology, and healthcare management; and exchange visits for specialist nurses and other professionals.
Tufton said the agreement would provide cooperation on knowledge and resource sharing and strategizing to build a resilient and robust health workforce capable of addressing current and future health needs.
“By pooling our expertise and resources, we can offer better training and ensure an equitable distribution of healthcare professionals,” he said, noting that the training exchange includes a specialized nurse training program, with personnel traveling to the Philippines to practice in a hospital for a few months.
“It has been said, but I will say it for emphasis: the Philippines is recognized as a major trainer and supplier of healthcare workers with significant infrastructure and capacity to train professionals for excellent healthcare delivery,” Tufton added.
The Philippines Secretary of Public Health said the partnership has the potential to create tangible and lasting benefits for future generations.
He said his country looks forward to working closely with Jamaica to turn the “vision of this agreement into reality.” The next step will be organizing a joint technical working group to draft the action plan and immediately sending several health workers from the Philippines to Jamaica.
“We are committed to implementing the initiatives outlined in this MOU and achieving meaningful results that will resonate with the lives of every Filipino and Jamaican. Again, thank you for this fruitful visit,” Herbosa said.
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