PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS WITH MOHW TO BOOST VACCINATION DEPLOYMENT
Kingston, Jamaica – As Jamaica commences the deployment of the vaccination programme aimed at achieving the long term health security of our nation, the Government of Jamaica and the Private Sector, have agreed that a return to full production is key to our economic recovery.
A successful vaccination deployment programme requires a unified national approach and the mobilization of all available physical, human and technology resources as well as strong marketing and communication skills, the effective achievement of which will require strong public and private sector partnership.
The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association and Jamaica Chamber of Commerce therefore reached out to the Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. the Hon. Chris Tufton, to indicate our intent and willingness to work with the Government to achieve the requisite herd immunity of our population and the early return to a more productive economy.
Following those discussions, we are pleased to be able today to jointly announce a public private partnership to achieve the above objectives.
The private sector stands ready to work together with our government in sourcing and resourcing the acquisition of vaccines; assisting with the provision of transportation and storage; human resources in the areas of administration of training; marketing and public relations and the allocation of trained inoculators; further and most importantly, the vaccination of our workers and staff so as to enable the full resumption of all productive activities which require close proximity.
To facilitate this vaccination of the workforce, we recommend that the private sector be allowed to purchase and import its own supply of vaccination for deployment through the private health care network as is currently done with the annual flu vaccine, under the supervision and guidance of the MOHW in the same manner as non over the counter drugs are now handled.
This first step of collaboration is to develop the protocols, guidelines and strategies to secure adequate vaccine supplies to fulfil the commitment made by the Most Honourable Prime Minister Andrew Holness to ensure that vaccines will be accessible to those Jamaicans who cannot afford it and also to restore the productive capacity of our economy.
It is imperative that as many of our people as possible are inoculated against COVID 19 and those of us who can help have an obligation to do so in order for our nation to rise as one.
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