Ministry of Health and Wellness Annual Report 2020-2021

This publication gives an overview of the Ministry of Health and Wellness for the year 2020-2021. It details vision, mission, strategic goals and objectives, results-based management framework, Executive direction and administration programme, health sector regulation programme. It also gives a special report on COVID-19 management response and financial report for the period

Science for health: notes on the organization of scientific activity for the development of health in Latin America and the Caribbean

During the 1990s the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean went through profound transformations in their economic, political, and social structures-including in the way that those nations produced, disseminated, and used scientific knowledge that could enhance their citizen's health. Nevertheless, still more changes are needed to fully develop the potential of scientific activity to promote health in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). In this task the LAC countries face two major challenges: building their capacity to develop, interpret, and adapt new knowledge and technologies, and creating opportunities for democratic consensus-building so that this capacity serves to improve the health of the peoples of the LAC countries. And while those nations confront many weaknesses in generating and mastering the needed scientific and technological knowledge, the situation in the 1990s was greatly improved over that in the 1980s (AU)

Sensitizing Caribbean medical students to management issues

In the health sector, deficiency in management skills is a feature within all services - though less so in the public health sector. Over the last ten years, the University of the West Indies has developed and conducted a health management course for medical undergraduates aimed at sensitizing them to management as it relates to medicine and health care. The course is delivered during the penultimate year of the curriculum and thus far has a potential target audience of approximately 600 students. Didactic lectures have accounted for 83 percent of contact time with the remaining time utilized for debates, video presentations and student presentations. Five short case studies have been developed which have allowed a reduction in the "didactic diet" within more recent times. Students' reactions to the course were rated overall as "fair to good" for presentation, content and relevance; the response to case studies was "interesting, realistic and helpful in their understanding of subject matter". Some students felt that it was important and interesting course but that the time scheduled for lectures sometimes made attendance difficult; in any event their focus at this time was on clinical aspects of their training and they could not spare much time for this course. This experience in teaching management to medical students must be built on and strengthened so as to enhance the cognitive and attitudinal outcomes. Departments, like individual faculty members, sometimes have tubular vision which is to be admired in the pursuit of individual sciences(s), but in an undergraduate programme of medical education, parochial goals must give way to the objectives of the institution as a whole.(AU)

Problem-based learning and problem-solving: sowing seeds of confusion - abstract

A major principle of problem-based learning (PBL) is that knowledge gained in a specific context is more easily incorporated into one's fund of usable information. In PBL curricula, students are self-directed, meet regularly in small tutorial groups to consider a clinical problem at each session. Problems are presented in blocks based on biologic development or organ systems. The issues identified determine the disciplines learned and focus the subsequent discussion. Issue guides help students and tutors cover the disciplines and topics each problem involves. The emphasis is on learning principles and mechanisms of disease that explain clinical phenomena, preventive and management strategies for individuals and communities. Problem-solving follows steps involving specific and discriminating application of knowledge and skills already acquired. In this process, the clinical situation provides the cues needed to define the problem medically and to suggest explanations. The expertise of the observer will dictate the choice, efficiency, utility, discrimination etc. of data-gathering strategies used to make a final diagnosis, assess prognosis and plan management. With expert monitoring of outcomes, changes are readily made. PS is thus a process for experts not novices. PBL curricula claim to teach students the elements of PS quickly, consistently and usefully. PS is thus the outcome of PBL and the lasting skills needed will be mastered if students pursue PS and ignore the wider scope and ramifications of PBL (AU)

Planning an overseas extension programme

An educational program in another country establishes the mechanism for a variety of other possibilities. Faculty in the host country may provide the setting in which U.S. students can gain interculteral experience. Students may be able to conduct an independent study in the host or, if sufficient numbers are available, a U.S. course may be adapted and offered in the host country. If ample funds exist, a two-way student and/or faculty exchange may be possible, thereby adding to the curricula of both schools. Opportunities for joint research and publishing may also become available. For example, long term evaluation of the educational program and use of the program graduates in the host country would be of interest; research in the specialty areas of faculty may also be possible. The difficulties inherent in planning and implementing a program in another country are numerous; however, with foresight and ample time for planning, the benefits to both students and faculty in the host and home institutions can outweigh the drawbacks (AU)

Productivity analysis of health facility staffing patterns in Jamaica

An operations research was undertaken in Jamaica in 1983 to investigate productivity problems of primary health care teams throughout the country. Specific objectives of the study were: (1) to develop a methodology for measuring the productivty and cost effectiveness of primary health care teams, (2) to describe the various categories of personnel in the health centers distribute their working time among certain predefined activities, (3) to determine how productive and cost effective primary health care teams are and how these factors relate to coverage of the population with essential services, and (4) to develop strategies to improve productivity. Since personnel costs are the major item in the primary health care budget, maximization of worker productivity to a central concern. Phase 1 of the study suggest that the major factors contributing to low productivity were: lack of an adequate system for manpower planning at the regional and national levels, inappropriate allocation of manpower to health centers in relation to demand for services, lack of explicit criteria for establishment of clinic durations and schedules in relation to expected demand, and lack of an effective performance monitoring system of clinics. It was decided that the productivity improvement stategy would include the combination of antenatal, postnatal, child welfare, and family planning clinics with emphasis on the provision of health care for mothers and children. It was predicted that the integration of preventive clinics would help clinic staff achieve a better balance in their workloads. The model also involved preparing clinic schedules and durations in relation to anticipated demand. The model showed that current demand could be met with fewer personnel, a reduction of 9-18 percent in personnel costs, and an increase in the cost-effectiveness index to 30 percent. It is hoped that this plan will be implemented for a 3-month trial period with monthly review of actual versus projected performance (AU)

The public nursing system in Jamaica: a management perspective

This dissertation examines the principles on which the public administrative system in Jamaica has been structured, and the impact which application of these principles has on the management process of planning, organizing and controlling in the nursing service which is administered by the Ministry of Health. The view taken in the analysis is that the structures and processes which have been influenced by the classical theories of management are inadequate for the purpose of management of human resources in underdeveloped countries such as Jamaica: that the assumptions on which the classical models of "authority structure: decision-making, leadership styles, communication patterns"; "the system of reward", and "the management conflict" are premised do not have generalized applicability in underdeveloped societies nor among all categories of employees in a public administrative/management system. The study critically examines the effects of these structural variables on the motivation and morale of nurses and develops a paradigm for a public administrative structure which is more relevant to management needs in a developing country (AU)