By Trudy Simpson, Staff ReporterTHE ELECTORAL Office of Jamaica (EOJ) has begun distributing National Health Fund (NHF) registration and drug benefit cards to various registration centres.
Rosemarie Lee, the NHF's Public Relations Manager, said the cards being distributed cover the first batch of individuals registered under the programme.
On Wednesday, John Junor, Minister of Health, said persons would start accessing NHF benefits in another four to six weeks.
"To date over 14,000 persons have been registered at 76 registration centres and during the month of May, at an additional 70 satellite stations," the Minister said.
He was speaking during the opening ceremony of the Medical Association of Jamaica's (MAJ) 2003 Symposium, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston on Wednesday night.
GOVERNMENT'S APPROVAL
The EOJ was given Government's approval to undertake the registration of beneficiaries under the Health Fund over the next two years, at a cost of $45 million.
Approximately 750,000 people are expected to benefit under the NHF to access, at costs highly subsidised by the Government, drugs used to treat 14 designated medical conditions. These include arthritis, asthma, a number of common cancers, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, depression and psychosis.
Some 300,000 application forms have already been distributed, Mr. Junor said.
Funding for the $2.2 billion NHF will be sourced from a 23 per cent excise on tobacco consumption which is expected to yield $1 billion; the recent reconfiguration of the National Insurance Scheme, expected to yield $800 million; and a specific charge on the Consolidated Fund which should raise $400 million. The majority of these funds will be dedicated to providing medication, health systems support and health promotion.
The Health Ministry is instituting the NHF as part of its efforts to tackle the rising problem of chronic diseases among Jamaicans.
