Cabinet approves “National Health Strategic Plan”
By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
~~Adz:Left~~ BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - A seven-part plan designed to “address the major health-care challenges facing our Federation” was approved by Cabinet Monday and will soon be implemented in St. Kitts and Nevis.
The plan, dubbed the “National Health Strategic Plan”, according to Monday’s post-Cabinet briefing, “was developed through support from the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO)” and employs an approach which calls for the involvement of the private sector, the government and the general public.
On Monday, Minister of Health Rupert Herbert took the proposed health plan to Cabinet and after its approval Cabinet “mandated its swift systematic implementation, monitoring and evaluation”.
Outlined in the plan are strategies aimed at achieving a “healthier and more productive nation”. The seven parts of the plan are:
(i) Health Systems Development: focusing on sustainable financing mechanisms, diagnostic capacity; and continuous quality improvement;
(ii) Family Health: paying increased attention to immunization, men’s health, and senior citizens’ health;
(iii) Mental health and Substance Abuse: drawing on legislation and human rights; improved mental health team composition; service provision; and capacity management;
(iv) Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Management, Nutrition and Physical Activity: emphasising re-orientation of public health services; improvement of public health policy; and research and surveillance;
(v) Environmental Health : stressing food safety and security; port surveillance; and water quality monitoring;
(vi) HIV/AIDS and Sexually-Transmitted Infections: emphasising prevention; treatment, care and support of the infected; and research; and
(vii) Human Resource Development: improving recruitment, training and retention; performance and productivity; and occupational health and safety.
The post Cabinet brief states that the new health plan also delivers on the government’s commitment to four important imperatives:
1. Caribbean Cooperation in Health (CCH);
2. The Nassau Declaration of 2001;
3. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals; and
4. The Declaration of Port of Spain: Uniting to stop the epidemic of chronic Non-communicable disease.
