Government will spend an estimated $32 million in the primary health care sector this financial year.
Minister of Health Donville Inniss made this announcement when he delivered remarks at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) High Level and Technical Meeting: The Renewal Of The Primary Health Care Strategy: Current Status And Perspectives For The Caribbean at Accra Beach Hotel on Monday morning.
“During the current financial year Barbados is projected to spend approximately $32 million on primary health care through a network of eight strategically located polyclinics and three satellite clinics offering a comprehensive range of clinical and community services,” Inniss stated.
Inniss explained that his ministry was also looking to expand its primary care community-based operations to offer a wider range of services to people and consideration was being given to the inclusion of diagnostic radiology and expanded ophthalmology services within the primary health care setting. This would expand the already wide range of primary care services, which include immunizations, general practice clinics, physical therapy, dental services, mental health and the provision of essential drugs.
Inniss reported that the number of community mental health nurses had been increased and Government was also exploring providing more community health nurses and polyclinic doctors to deal with individuals who were unable to attend the polyclinics.
Dr Ernest Pate, PAHO/WHO Caribbean programme coordinator, said that globally the health of the world population had improved significantly over the last 30 years, with some countries showing sustained improvement in health outcomes while others have lagged behind or even experienced reversals.
At the two-day workshop health care providers from across the Caribbean shared trends and lessons learned in the design and implementation of health policies and plans for the social protection in health and in the context of the renewal of the Primary Health Care (PHC) strategy while countries who have already implemented the PHC strategy also shared on their progress and identified areas for improvement. (PR)
