Cayman’s health officials got together last week to begin drafting a national health policy and strategic plan.
People within the health industry took part in a two-day summit, beginning Thursday, 3 May, to work on the plan.
Minister of Health Mark Scotland said that while the Cayman Islands have good health care, as well as the necessary components for a good health system, it needed a robust national health policy and strategic plan to address a growing number of challenges.
“At a time when we face rising health care costs and shrinking budgets, it is imperative that we do so with a clear vision and a strong sense of direction. With a clearly defined National Health Policy, we will be able to move from strategy to implementation, efficiently and purposefully,” Mr. Scotland said.
The Pan American Health Organisation is assisting Cayman in developing a national policy and plan for health.
Speaking at the opening of the summit meeting Thursday, Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation representative Marilyn Entwistle, who is the health system and services development adviser for Jamaica, Cayman Islands and Bermuda, said: “The Cayman Islands has certainly made great strides in providing health care and while they are the envy of the region in many aspects, there are challenges which have developed over time and the country needs a robust national health policy to address these problems, as well as the growing expectations for health care.”
One of the key exercises of the workshop is defining a vision for health care in the Cayman Islands. Minister Scotland urged participants to pay specific attention to making health care more affordable, improving access and quality and promoting increased collaboration between public and private health care providers.
He also offered his own vision for the future of the Islands’ health care system: “Within the next three years, the Cayman Islands health system will be the star of the Caribbean – we will be the best that we can be in patient satisfaction, accountability, quality and efficiency. We will promote public/private collaboration across the health system and we will not only treat sickness, but promote wellness,” he said.
Earlier this week, Mr. Scotland announced a health risk survey which will begin on 14 May, to help pinpoint why certain diseases and conditions like hypertension, diabetes and asthma are so prevalent in the Cayman Islands. The survey’s result will be also help determine a strategic plan for health for Cayman.
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