Communications Specialist at the Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI), Claire Forrester (seated) and chauffeur at CFNI, Oswald Love, share a joke during the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) and CFNI's Service Awards Presentation on Tuesday at Le Meridien Jamaica Pegasus, New Kingston. Both were awarded bronze and gold medals of appreciation respectively for ten and 25 years of service at the CFNI.
THERE IS a reason to celebrate, but health professionals must still remain aware of the challenges facing the health system, cautions Professor Errol Miller, Head of the Institute of Education at the University of the West Indies, Mona campus.
Professor Miller was speaking at Tuesday's Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO)/ Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute's (CFNI) Service Awards presentation at Le Meridien Jamaica Pegasus, New Kingston.
The professor pointed out that there was reason to celebrate following the island's recently being ranked third in the Caribbean in terms of health care by the World Health Organisa-tion's (WHO) league tables on the status of health care and health systems across the world for the year 2000.
"When you think of all the problems that we have, that we could come in the 27th percentile in the delivery of health care, this is some accomplishment for which I am sure PAHO and CFNI and all the other health professionals in Jamaica need to take credit," Professor Miller told health professionals who turned out to honour PAHO as well as CFNI employees for outstanding years service and educational achievements.
He said that the fact that health professionals can do much in spite of the limitations that they face in terms of resources, attested to "the effectiveness of the persons who are working in it and the priorities set particularly in primary health care."
The professor commended PAHO and CFNI for promoting primary health care, training personnel and financing projects with the aim of promoting health in the region and said that the recent ranking of Caribbean countries showed the kind of work that the organisations were doing.
Jamaica was ranked 53rd out of 191 countries and came in behind Barbados, which placed 46th and Dominica, which placed 35th. "You deserve every credit, and you deserve to sit down and celebrate at the top of the Pegasus," he declared, amidst applause and laughter.
Michael Sloley Photo
