Tufton calls on pharmaceutical companies for ‘life-saving partnership’

Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton is urging pharmaceutical companies to expand their partnership with the Government to explore preventative healthcare measures.

He was speaking at the National Health Fund (NHF) Pharmaceutical awards contract signing ceremony on Tuesday, where 34 suppliers signed 61 contracts valued at $27 billion. This is to provide 680 pharmaceutical items over a three-year period.

According to Tufton, this approach, though necessary for the time being, is not sustainable, especially with the country’s growing “sick profile”.

Jamaica continues to suffer from a high incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

More than 70 per cent of deaths each year are associated with NCDs; one in every three Jamaicans is living with hypertension, one in eight with diabetes. And four out of every 10 are unaware of their status.

He stated that while pharmaceutical companies’ first obligation is to ensure the timeliness and integrity of the products they deliver, they “must recognise that this is a partnership, a life-saving partnership that requires a lot more thought than just supplying a drug”.

“It has to require thought in finding better ways to serve, particularly with the trends moving in the directions that they’re going, which frankly speaking are not sustainable. In other words, NHF will run out of money if we continue on this trajectory or the government might not find it possible to continue with 100 per cent increase every five years,” he said.

He said more collaboration is needed to detect and prevent illnesses as opposed to the “far more expensive prospect”of cure.

“My encouragement to all of us today is that we have a job beyond what is apparent and visible to all of us today. We’re going to have to go back to the drawing board to determine how we proceed beyond this year and next year and the next three years,” he said. “The reality is, it’s likely that this $27-billion commitment is going to balloon beyond $30 billion.”

TRANSPARENT AGENCY

Chief Executive Officer of the NHF, Everton Anderson, said the agency has spent approximately $80.7 billion on drugs and medical supplies in the public sector pharmacies since it took over the management of the pharmaceutical warehouse 12 years ago.

It currently boasts a 92 per cent prescription fill rate and processes up to three million prescriptions each year up from one million. This, Anderson said, is as a result of more people having access. Additionally, he said there are now 103 Drug Serv pharmacies spanning all 14 parishes, and 30 in the private health sector.

“Partnerships add significant value to our country and the NHF is committed to working closely with suppliers to achieve the best possible outcome for those who we serve,” he said.

Minister Tufton, meanwhile, commended the NHF on its work, labelling them as a transparent agency.

“This is an organisation that understands the market they serve, and they have demonstrated sufficient capacity to respond to the 700,000-plus and counting Jamaicans who need insurance of one form or another under the 17 categories of illness,” he said.

And while he said the government is “responsive to the needs of the population as it relates to healthcare, and the provision of drugs”, he is also encouraging citizens to also take responsibility for their health.

“Jamaicans must appreciate that the government is making its best efforts to respond to their concerns. But they must also appreciate that they have a responsibility to help in ensuring their own personal wellness and collectively the wellness of the society and the community that we exist in,” he said.