KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC—Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton is currently in India with a team from his ministry as Jamaica advances discussions with that country on a strategic partnership to improve healthcare delivery through the development of human resources and the provision of affordable drugs.
According to Tufton, this latest round of talks has discussed a range of issues, including the completion of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The MoU will see several issues around health that we will collaborate on, including drugs and access to medicines… but also, very importantly, around human resource development and the collaboration around training – training for our healthcare workers in specialized areas and our nurses in particularly,” he said while adding that the partnership with India is anticipated to yield solutions to the prevailing problems of human resources for health on the island.
“We lose many healthcare workers, including our nurses, to other markets and are trying to expand, but we are short on faculty and clinical rotation space. It (our collaboration with India) will mean healthcare workers coming here (to India) for clinical rotation and also training of trainers,” Tufton said.
“It will also mean, where we have immediate gaps, accessing from workers here in India, with workers from India taking up some of the positions temporarily while we expand the local healthcare workforce,” the health minister added.
The Jamaica delegation has also met with the All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi, the leading medical school in India, and has discussed exploring training for both nurses and doctors, including faculty and student exchanges.
The delegation has also visited the Artemis Hospital and Naraya Superspecialty Hospital to explore training and collaboration opportunities.
Tufton said a range of issues have been discussed in this latest round of talks, including completing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
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