Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, says countries must put in place social protection and health interventions to deal specifically with the elderly as they are facing a situation where the population is ageing.
He was speaking today (Sunday, May 17, 2015) at the Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting being held at the Starling Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland.
He says the elderly in Jamaica constitute 11.3% of the population, an increase of 9% over the last decade. He explained that the country is also dealing with an increase in the burden of Non-communicable diseases which tend to affect this group and responsible for about 70% of deaths in Jamaica each year.
He says this requires a rethinking of how health systems are structured to deliver care to this group. We must consider how and when we deliver care to the elderly, the appropriate health financing solutions to ensure sustainability of health care provision and the environmental requirements to support the delivery of health care.
The Minister pointed out that to this end Jamaica is taking steps to achieve Universal Health Coverage and Universal Access to health and recently hosted a two day inter-Ministerial dialogue in partnership with the Pan-American Health Organization towards galvanizing support for the development of a strategic roadmap for UHC/UA.
The Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting is being held under the theme “Universal Health Coverage with an emphasis on ageing and good health.”
The Minister is leading a delegation to the 68th World Health Assembly being held at the Palais de Nations in Geneva, Switzerland from May 18-23, 2015. The Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting is right before the start of the WHA.
Contact:
Stephanie Shaw Smith/Sharon Jones
Public Relations & Communication Unit