Over seventy students who are currently being trained in Cuba have been given a four week stint in the public health sector for the summer. The students, who are in their third and fourth year of study will be placed in accredited hospitals throughout the public health sector starting Monday July 26, 2010.

Speaking at the orientation session for the students this morning (Thursday, July 22, 2010) at the Ministry’s head office, Dr. Jean Dixon, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health said that the summer initiative was one of instruction, rotation and mentorship in the areas of Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Internal Medicine. She told the Medical students that they would be formally assessed at the end of the four week period.

In giving the background to the programme, the Permanent Secretary disclosed that the initiative was introduced in response to concerns expressed by the students during a visit by Prime Minister Bruce Golding and Health Minister Rudyard Spencer in May 2008. The students said that they had difficulties integrating into the health sector and in preparing for their qualification examinations upon completing their course of study in Cuba.

Speaking to the broader issue of human resources in health Dr. Dixon noted that Jamaica, like most developing countries had been affected by the globalization of health and health services and that the free movement of labour had impacted negatively on the country’s ability to retain its trained health workforce. She admitted that the Ministry was facing challenges placing health workers in the primary health care setting and in rural Jamaica. She said certain initiatives were being considered to address the skewed remuneration across the system.

The Permanent Secretary challenged the students to consider taking up opportunities in the primary health care system and in rural Jamaica upon the successful completion of their course of study. “If we can enhance the services at the health centre setting, we will make greater strides in advancing the agenda for health for all and achieve the Millennium Development Goals and Vision 2030”, she told the gathering.

She also spoke about the long term approach to addressing the age old challenges of human resource in the health sector. “Some critical factors must be considered in a national strategy to address the health workforce in a sustainable way. A valid information base, a national strategic plan, stakeholder mobilization, and management and policy development capacity, are some of these critical factors”, she said.

The National Health Fund is providing financial support to the initiative.

(Seated from left to right) Permanent Secretary, Dr. Jean Dixon seated in the front row flanked by two Jamaican medical students studying in Cuba, Dr. Denise Duncan Goffe, Director, Health Services Planning & Integration in the Ministry of Health and Karene Francis, Manpower Planner. Standing at left is Georgette Taylor, Director, Personnel at the Ministry of Health. The occassion was the orientation for over 70 3rd and 4th year Jamaican medical students studying in Cuba to allow them to obtain experience in the local public hospitals.

Dr. Jean Dixon listens as a student expresses his delight with the observership programme for 3rd and 4th year Jamaican medical students studying in Cuba - the first of its kind. The programme is expected to be a yearly event hosted during the summer period. The students who are to be given a stipend, will be placed in accredited public hospitals across the health sector. The National Health Fund has provided funding support for the programme.

Dr. Denise Duncan Goffe (left), Director, Health Services Planning & Integration in the Ministry of Health listens to a group of students as she checks her list at the orientation of Jamaican Medical students studying in Cuba. The students will be placed in accredited hospitals in the public health sector. The 3rd and 4th year students will observe the processes in the facilities. This is to assist in their preparation for their qualifying exams when they return to the island after graduation. The programme is expected to be a yearly event. Over 70 students are participating this year.

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Contact: MOH, Public Relations Unit - Tel: 967-1561