Infrastructure financing needs transformational processes – Tufton

While commending the partnerships that exist between multilateral and private sector financiers of health infrastructure projects in the Caribbean, Minister of Health & Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton says the benefits are likely to be suboptimal without attention to transformational processes.

Speaking at the 8th Caribbean Regional Infrastructure Forum in Miami, Florida, recently Dr Tufton noted that Jamaica’s public health system has been benefiting from a more than US$300M commitment over eight years through a combination of loans, grants and Government of Jamaica funding towards major infrastructure upgrade.

However, the minister said that more action is needed to reduce processes from concept to implementation, adding that there is need for greater emphasis on, for example, change management and maintenance arrangements to ensure that assets give optimal value for money.

“There is a fear that we could build modern infrastructure and equip this with modern diagnostic tools and not have the people to maintain and use them unless we take collective action to include human resource capital development in project financing,” the minister said.

Addressing the group of multilaterals, development banks and private investors, Dr Tufton emphasised that given the mass migration of Caribbean people over time, as well as the region’s debt, it is necessary for investments in infrastructure to include human capital requirement audits and arrangements to change mindset towards embracing technology-driven systems.

“New hospitals need strong maintenance schedules as part of financing arrangements. Leasing as opposed to purchasing may guarantee a more efficient deployment of equipment, and a contractual arrangement to maintain and replace,” the minister added.

Dr Tufton told the group of financiers that the future of healthcare should also include partnerships with digital technology, as well as human resource training across borders.

A ministry release on the event noted that the minister further urged the financiers present to ensure that resources that are offered and deployed provide the benefits to people in the communities in a sustainable way.