Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton has outlined that the government should be recognised for the expanded role of the National Health Fund (NHF), which he said aims to meet the needs of the people.

The minister said before 2016, the NHF was issuing fewer than 1 million prescriptions a year. He also emphasised that last year, the NHF issued 3 million prescriptions to Jamaicans.

“We have moved from 16 to 24 categories of illness. In other words, we have added three other areas of cancer-related illnesses, as well as other areas that are now covered under the NHF. And what that means is that more Jamaicans are benefiting from the National Health Fund, and it therefore also means that there is more relief for those Jamaicans,” Tufton said.

The health minister further revealed that the NHF now provides coverage for five cancers, including lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and multiple myeloma, in addition to breast and prostate cancer. “But in addition to that, the NHF also now covers conditions related to hyperactive disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, lupus, Parkinson’s disease, and thyroid disease.”

Tufton said the NHF has become a lot more relevant to the needs of the population, while outlining that this is what the government cares about.

“It’s about serving people where they need service. It also demonstrates the commitment of the government to realign, to adjust and to ensure that we meet the requirements of the Jamaican people,” Tufton added.

What does the future hold?

Tufon said that given the projections of the population in terms of growth, birth rate, migration, and age, the government is working to respond to the demands of an older population.

“Primary health care reform is a big part of that because the older population will normally require more attention in their surroundings, in their communities, and one of the reasons for the build-out is to keep people in their communities.

“But with the expansion of community health aids, which we have increased by about a thousand since the government took office, we now have about a thousand community health aids. We will also have to use the primary health care facilities to go out to people, to visit in their homes,” Tufton continued.

The health minister also emphasised that many Jamaicans might not know unless they are impacted, but expressed that the Ministry of Health have community health aids, where professionals attend to the needs of the elderly.

“They visit senior citizens and just check on their medication, and do their vitals. They wash their plates. They sweep up the house. They sit down and read to them. They even comb their hair. And these are healthcare workers. So in a sense, they are almost like family. They are a support team, a support staff,” he added.