FOR NORMAN Reid, a dairy and vegetable farmer, the National Health Fund (NHF) swipe card represents more than a piece of plastic.
For him, it's a lifeline - the difference between sending money down the drain and having additional savings.
The NHF was set up in August 2003 to reduce the health-care burden by providing Jamaicans of all age, once they are diagnosed with any of 15 specified chronic illnesses, with access to medication at cheaper/ subsidised rates.
Speaking recently with The Gleaner, the Manchester-based farmer said having the NHF card is a blessing because farming is no longer as profitable as it used to be and medication costs are climbing.
"I am a diabetic person. I have high blood pressure and now a heart condition," Mr. Reid said, as he tried to be heard over the buzzing of a pump in the background.
These illnesses have led to dramatic changes for Mr. Reid.
"I can't do things as well as I used to because sometimes it tek me and I haffi get something and rest for an hour or two," said Mr. Reid, who has spent more than 30 years in farming. "I have to do it because (when there is an attack), it (his heart beats) coming like when you set off an engine. To be honest, it soak my income fi true."
UNDERSTATEMENT
"Soak" is an understatement. Before he went on the NHF scheme, Mr. Reid was struggling. Finances, already hit hard by a declining dairy industry and a mad cow disease scare, had been further reduced by Mr. Reid being forced to fork out between $1,000 and $1,400 per month for insulin vials, needed to help him control his diabetes. He also had to find $2,000 per month for tablets to help control his high blood pressure.
In addition, because of his ill-health, Mr. Reid had to hire someone to help him, an additional expense.
According to Mr. Reid, things have improved, at least where buying medication is concerned. He credits the two-year-old NHF, which he said he joined just in time to have them help him with the $3,000 per month bill for his heart medication.
He said that, not only is he now able to access more medication, but the bill for them is smaller.
With the NHF, the bill for his insulin vials has been halved and the bills for his heart and blood pressure medication have been cut by one third.
Approximately 1,000 pharmaceutical items are listed under the programme, said Rosemarie Lee, public information officer
at the NHF.
