Health and Wellness Partnership

Introduction to the Partnership

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC -Health & Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton is in the Philippines, pursuing a partnership to boost Jamaica’s human resources for health.

His visit follows Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, Secretary of Health for the Philippines, who traveled to Kingston in January to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the health workforce in both countries.

Objectives of the Partnership

“Since arriving in the Philippines, we have had a series of bilateral discussions involving my team and his team to work out the details of a training program for specialist nurses between the two countries,” Tufton said.

“The idea is to have Jamaican specialist nurses trained remotely and then to have our trainees coming on rotation to hospitals here (in the Philippines).

“We are also working through possibilities for healthcare workers from the Philippines coming to work in Jamaica as well as to have faculty members from the Philippines do training in Jamaica,” he added.

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

Jamaica and the Philippines signed the MoU on health cooperation during the first-ever Health & Wellness Career Expo and Employment Fair, which was hosted by the Ministry of Health & Wellness in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth, and Information.

“By pooling our expertise and resources, we can offer better training and ensure an equitable distribution of healthcare professionals,” Dr. Tufton said then.

Provisions of the MoU

The MoU provides for faculty or trainer exchanges, as well as training and certification of health professionals. It also allows for capacity-building and knowledge sharing in biotechnology, medical equipment, epidemiology, and healthcare management, and exchange visits for specialist nurses and other professionals.

Challenges and Opportunities

The efforts to partner on the health workforce in the two countries come as Jamaica and other small island developing states face challenges with their human resources for health. The ministry said those challenges include competition to retain health workers, including nurses, who are routinely recruited from the developed world by overseas employers.

Conclusion

The partnership between Jamaica and the Philippines aims to address the challenges faced by small island developing states in retaining health workers. By pooling their expertise and resources, both countries can offer better training and ensure an equitable distribution of healthcare professionals. This partnership is a significant step towards improving the health workforce in both countries and providing quality healthcare services to their citizens.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the purpose of the partnership between Jamaica and the Philippines?

The purpose of the partnership is to boost Jamaica’s human resources for health by collaborating on the health workforce in both countries.

What are the provisions of the MoU signed between Jamaica and the Philippines?

The MoU provides for faculty or trainer exchanges, training and certification of health professionals, capacity-building, and knowledge sharing in various areas of healthcare.

What are the challenges faced by small island developing states like Jamaica in retaining health workers?

Small island developing states like Jamaica face challenges in retaining health workers due to competition from developed countries that routinely recruit health workers, including nurses, from these countries.