30,000 HOSPITAL VISITS UNDER FREE HEALTH POLICY PROGRAMME

KINGSTON , June 20 (JIS):

Some 30,000 visits were made to government health facilities during the first two weeks of implementation of the free health care policy for children under age 18.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Health, Horace Dalley during his contribution to the 2007/08 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives yesterday (June 19).

As at May 28, children under the age of 18 years began receiving free health care at all government hospitals and health facilities, except the University Hospital of the West Indies.

Under the new policy, diagnostic services, hospital stay and doctors’ fees, drugs and surgeries, are among the services that will be provided free at the government health facilities.

“The major policy development recently introduced is an investment in our children that will support the development of a healthy nation,” Mr. Dalley said.

He added that the new policy will enable prompt access to preventative services in health centres resulting in improvement in immunization coverage, nutritional and dental status, and improved access for children requiring hospital care, thus encouraging earlier diagnosis and treatment and prevention of long-term complications.

The Minister also informed that the new health policy will allow “equity to essential health programmes and other social services provided through the Health Ministry for Children.”