HEALTH HERALD Newsletter of the Ministry of Health and Wellness AUG 05, 2021 | ISSUE 25
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THE VACCINES ARE HERE The Ministry of Health and Wellness on Friday (July 30) received 300,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, donated by the United Kingdom. The donation will be used for a weeklong COVID-19 Vaccination Blitz, which began on July 31 and will runset to begin on from Friday July 30 to Friday August 6. All Jamaicans over the age of 18 are eligible and can register online at the Ministry’s website, www.moh.gov.jm, or through the vaccination call centre at 1-888ONE-LOVE (663-5683). The country is expecting another 1.1 million from the United States, the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) and the Africa Medical Supplies Platform (ASMP) by the end of September. The 300,000 doses being donated by the UK matches the tally of the current number of vaccinations carried out by Jamaica to this point. UK Ambassador to Jamaica, Asif Ahmad, says he hopes the current donation will help to stem the tide of COVID-19 on the island while also commenting that Jamaica can expect another shipment from the UK in December “I am pleased to say that we have now made the arrangement for these vaccines to be delivered to Jamaica. In December we will make second commitment to Jamaica which will go a long way in turning the tides of this pandemic. I hope that the vaccination programme here goes well and that Jamaicans will feel proud of the fact that we are working together to fight the pandemic, the rest is really up to the citizens of Jamaica to do the right thing which id to take the vaccine to save themselves and the country”, he said. Meanwhile,
The ongoing blitz is the first step in an ambitious plan by the MOHW to administer 900,000 doses by the end September, and added to the doses already administered would take the countries tally of vaccinated individuals to 1.95 million, around 50% of the population. Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton while speaking at the MOHW’s virtual COVID Conversations on Monday, July 26, said he believe with the support of the population and all of society, the vaccination target can be achieved. The Minister also urged Jamaicans to not be afraid to get vaccinated, “The AstraZeneca vaccine is the world’s most popular vaccine and, indeed, enough time has elapsed to show that it is safe. Approximately 300,000 Jamaicans have taken at least one dose, and so no one should have any fear about taking the vaccine,” the Minister said.
JAMAICA’SNUTRITIONAL HEALTH TO BE IMPROVED BY OCTAGONAL LABELS. The Ministry of Health and Wellness, the University of Technology (UTech), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are looking to go ahead with plans to place octagonal warning labels on front-ofpackage labeling (FOPL) on foods in Jamaica. This follows a joint study conducted by all 3 entities which shows octagonal warning perform best in helping local consumers make healthier food choices. Consumers that were shown this form of labeling had had the highest chances of correctly identifying food excessive in sugars, sodium, or saturated fats. The study forms an important component of the Ministry’s efforts to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) using an evidence-based approach. Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, while speaking at the virtual meeting on Thursday, July 29, said Jamaicans have a right to know what is in their food so they can make educated decisions. “Front of package labelling is an important tool to empower personal choice. Jamaicans, whether they are shopkeepers, manufacturers, or traders or just the little retired lady down in the countryside, they have a right to know what is in their food and I think that is a reasonable and just cause to champion,” he noted. Dr. Tufton also said the MOHW plans to strongly lobby for octagonal warning label as it is easily understood. The Ministry also says the government will run education seminars to nudge Jamaicans in the right direction.
Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher (Right), addresses a virtual press briefing on Thursday (July 29) on the Superior Efficacy of Front of Package Warning Labels in Jamaica Study, which was conducted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the University of Technology (Utech), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
“I think that overtime, whatever option is chosen it has to be accompanied by significant public education and so even though consumers have signalled their intention as to what they would prefer, I do believe that we can educate further and nudge consumers into utilising what is ultimately decided on,” he said. Several countries require manufacturers of packaged foods to provide warning labels to help consumers identify foods with harmful levels of salts, fats, and sugar, with the latest country being Mexico, which is one of the largest trading partners of goods with the United States. PAHO Regional Advisor on nutrition and physical activity, Dr Fabio DaSilva Gomes, said the study was conducted between November 2020 and February 2021 and is the first of its kind in the Caribbean.
Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher, displays information on the Superior Efficacy of Front of Package Warning Labels in Jamaica Study, during a virtual press briefing held on July 29.
Health staff get education in new primary care model Model to help halt the NCDs crisis Team members of the Ministry of Health & Wellness, together with workers from the regional health authorities, were recently brought up to speed on plans for renewed primary health care in Jamaica. The update was provided by Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, speaking at last week’s NonCommunicable Disease (NCD) and Injury Prevention programme review, held in Montego Bay and streamed online. “A new Primary Health Care Model for Jamaica looks at improving primary care to provide quality comprehensive care, utilising an integrated health system delivery network that is patient centered and caters to each stage of the life cycle,” the CMO noted. The move to an improved primary health care system is seen as especially important, given the scale of the challenge of lifestyle diseases currently facing Jamaica. Annually NCDs kill more than 41 million people worldwide and is responsible for 71% of all deaths globally. It is also responsible for more than 70% of all deaths in Jamaica. An improved primary health care system is intended to provide the foundation needed to halt the NCDs crisis, with its emphasis on prevention and reimagined care management that is no longer hospital centric. Over the long term, the model seeks to provide an interconnected web of improved health care benefits for patients through the offer of increased access to care across 130 health centres in 63 health districts – and with the benefit of a trained and competent staff of physicians, family nurse practitioners, registered nurses, community health workers, and medical support staff.
CMO Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie This is to be supported by an integrated health service delivery network, replete with technologies that provide safe access to patient information and which allows for information sharing among health care providers. Ultimately, the CMO said, outcomes are to include earlier pick up of NCDs with routine screening; earlier initiation of treatment, including lifestyle modifications; as well as improved management through access to health records, access to diagnostics and therapeutic services; and a joined-up health system. Also anticipated is improved compliance with treatment through improved community services, identifying and managing barriers to treatment as well as a motivated and skilled workforce enabled by increased access to mentoring, supervision and continuing education.
An improved primary health care system is intended to provide the foundation needed to halt the NCDs crisis, with its emphasis on prevention and reimagined care management that is no longer hospital centric.
Scenes from the NCDs Review
Health Minister commends nurses As Jamaica celebrated another Nurses Week, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton commended local nurses for their ongoing efforts to improve health outcomes for all Jamaicans. “Nurses are valuable human resources who are integral to safeguarding the quality and future of healthcare in Jamaica,” the Minister said last week. “The times that we are in – where new diseases emerge suddenly – require that healthcare workers, of which nurses form a core part, adapt quickly. Our nurses have done just that, as evidenced by our experience with COVID-19. We are grateful for their service,” Dr. Tufton added. Nurses Week 2021 was being celebrated from July 18 to 23, under the theme ‘Nurses; A voice to lead – A Vision for future healthcare’. Activities to commemorate the week are being led by the Nurses’ Association of Jamaica (NAJ). Those activities included a national summer school (July 20 to July 21) that engaged nurses islandwide in continuing education to augment their professional training. Also last week (on July 23), the NAJ hosted the Nurse and Nursing Student of the Year Awards Ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.
Ministry rolls out expanded internship programme With the rollout of its expanded internship programme this summer, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, through its Manpower Planning and Development Unit, is providing young Jamaicans with the opportunity to gain valuable work experience. The programme, which in earlier years targeted the family members of Ministry employees, was expanded this year to benefit other youths. Sixty interns are currently participating in the programme, which runs July through August. That number is expected to increase, with an additional 76 interns to come on board next month. Acting Training Development Officer at the Ministry, Leroy Bailey, said internship placement is geared at developing the unique skillsets of each participant. “Interns are placed right across the Ministry in every department. In a bid to maximise the potential and growth for our interns, we employ a meticulous placement system, which sees persons being deployed in targeted areas to provide a tailored opportunity for growth based on their unique skillsets and talents,” he said. Even if we don’t necessarily have an exact position for an individual, we still try to see how best they can be placed and everyone is given a stipend to aid in their participation in the programme,” he added. The opportunity for personal growth and the potential to gain first-hand experience are just some of the pull factors for participants.
Intern Kadeesha Thompson Intern in the Dental Unit, Kadeesha Thompson, said the programme has provided her with a means to keep active throughout the summer while also building her professional portfolio. “The environment is really nice and I have been taken out of my comfort zone. I think I have observed a lot in the past three weeks and these things will help me to progress. I will definitely put this on my résumé,” she said. Intern in the Public Relations (PR) and Communications Unit, Nicholas Thomas said the programme has provided him with critical mentorship, while enabling him to flex his skills as a graphic designer. “I had knowledge in graphic designing, however, I had little knowledge in terms of PR. I am fortunate as I have met individuals who have helped me to refine and implement my designing skills from a PR perspective. I have worked on things like newsletters and I have made targeted social media posters for campaigns and things that were previously outside the box, so it has helped me a lot,” he said. In addition to Mental Health and PR, interns have been placed in areas such
as
HIV,
Internal
Audit,
Documentation/Library,
National
Epidemiology, Public Procurement, the In-service Education Unit, and the Nursing Unit, among others.
"We employ a meticulous placement system, which sees persons being deployed to provide a tailored opportunity for growth."