BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - AFTER undertaking a number of researches and receiving papers from various individuals, the government will shortly begin a public education campaign on the implementation of the National Health Insurance programme.
That was the announcement made by Senior Minister of Health, Hon. Eugene Hamilton during yesterday’s (Aug. 10) sitting of the National Assembly.
Rising to give an update on his ministerial portfolios, Hamilton disclosed that the government is ready to embark on a public engagement that he believes would culminate with the launching and implementation of the National Health Insurance programme.
Since taking office in 2015, the Team Unity Administration has been pushing to have the National Health Insurance (NHI) programme implemented so that low income earners would be able to cover expenses incurred in relation to their health.
Hamilton has been championing that cause and he had referenced the case of a young man who came down with cancer and was unable to gain financial support for overseas treatment. The young man eventually died of the ailment.
In Parliament, the Minister told the House that he hopes everyone appreciates the programme.
Hamilton said the programme is “a proposed national system of shared contributions and prepayments by persons for a package of health services to meet the health needs of the population”.
The programme is important, he stated, because many persons with limited earnings are without health insurance and “they lack full access to health care because of the high cost of care not only in the Federation, but across the world”.
“Because of the rise of chronic diseases in our population and the high cost of putting all of the facilities and services in place of the right quality, government alone cannot come up with all the cost for care for everyone,” he declared.
St. Kitts and Nevis has over recent years seen increasing numbers of chronic Non-Communicable Diseases, which continue to affect local health institutions.
The government has been making efforts to combat the growing problem. However, it continues to be a major topic for discussion as plans are in the pipeline to implement the NHI.
“There is a need to find a mechanism to share contributions for the health care across the country for those who can and cannot pay; for all persons who would seek care, not only locally but perhaps internationally,” said Hamilton.
He believes that Universal Health Care forms part of the new Millennium Development Sustainable Goals of 2015 to 2030, “and we in this Federation has agreed and accepted those millennium goals. So, it is part of those goals why we in the Federation are pursuing this health care and National Health Insurance programme”.
Earlier this year, Minister Hamilton told SKNVibes that they were eyeing early 2018 to have the programme fully implemented.
