HEALTH MINISTRY SECURES MORE DRUGS AT BETTER PRICE - $2.4BILLION CONTRACT SIGNED

April 21, 2010

HEALTH MINISTRY SECURES MORE DRUGS AT BETTER

PRICE - $2.4BILLION CONTRACT SIGNED

Prime Minister Bruce Golding congratulated the Ministry of Health on negotiating better payment terms for 719 vital drugs for the public health system. He urged them to use telemedicine to bring advanced services to all.

Mr. Golding was speaking this morning at Jamaica House immediately following the signing of 35 contracts valued at $2.4 billion between the Health Corporation of Jamaica and approved local pharmaceutical distributors.  Mr. Golding said this reflected a strong spirit of partnership between the public and private sector to address the demand for vital drugs.

The Prime Minister also said that similar initiatives can make specialist medical skills and services available throughout the nation.

"We can introduce the tremendous value of telemedicine in Jamaica. Technology can transform the way we do things. ...We are never going to be able to put a cardiologist in every hospital and all of the specialist skills in every clinic. We no longer need to. The available technology would make it so simple," Mr. Golding said.

Mr. Golding urged the Ministry to ensure that the drugs get to patients on a timely basis.

In his remarks Health Minister Ruddy Spencer said the contracts period is for 18 months. "The purchase of pharmaceutical preparations and medical sundries is the single most costly item on the health budget except for wages and salaries. It has increased by 167-percent over the last 5-years moving from $898 million in 2004/5 financial year to $2.4billion.