Health Care System in Jamaica

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HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN JAMAICA INTRODUCTION Health policy refers to decisions, plans and actions used by governments in achieving specific health care goals within society. A health policy often can be defined as a vision for the future, which can help to establish targets and points of reference for the short and medium term (http://www.who.int). Jamaica is an island situated in the West Indies 90miles south of Cuba that has been classified as a country of medium human development. In 2012 the current estimated population stands at 2,889,187, growth rate 1714%, birth rate 18.89/1000, infant mortality 14.3/1000 and life expectancy 73.43(www.infoplease.com). The capacity of the state of Jamaica in providing social services, and supporting infrastructure, has been reduced due to the lack of financial and economic problems (www.sidsnet.org). So within this report it will discuss the key aspects of the health policy in Jamaica, and the views of the impact on the health population. In order to address these issues it will include a rationale, evidence, a structured analysis of the health care system, and the pressures on the health care system. RATIONALE The reason why this country has been chosen to undergo this report is because it’s a third world country with a high mortality rate. By analysing this country it will give me a better insight into the why the mortality rates are high, and how the healthcare system in the country is trying to reduce this with the use of strategies in reforming all health areas within the population. Jamaica has been aware of the strategic value of health, for transforming and reconstructing the landscape of the country. In order for these strategies to be put into prospective they looked into the h... ... middle of paper ... ...ine_and_health. Last accessed 09 May 2014. The Health Sector Task Force . (2009). Vision 2030 Jamaica National Development Plan. Available: http://www.vision2030.gov.jm/Portals/0/Sector_Plan/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20Health.pdf. Last accessed 12/05/2014. World Health Organisation. (2010). Jamaica Country Cooperation Strategies 2010-2015. Available: http://www.who.int/countryfocus/cooperation_strategy/jamaicaccs2010.pdf. Last accessed 10 May 2014. World Health Organisation. (2014). Health Policy. Avalable: http://www.who.int/topics/health_policy/en/. Last accessed 10 May 2014. Ferguson, F. (2014). Minister of Health. Available: http://www.commonwealthhealth.org/americas/jamaica/. Last accessed 11/05/2014. Ministry of Health. (2005). National HIV/AIDS Policy Jamaica . Available: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/population/aids/jamaica.aids.05.pdf. Last accessed 10/05/2014.

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