PRESS RELEASE
The Government of Saint Lucia is embarking on a Health System Strengthening
Project to improve the accessibility, efficiency and responsiveness of key health
services.The project has four components and Prime Minister and Minister for Finance,
Economic Growth, Job Creation, and External Affairs Honourable Allen Chastanet,
explained to the House of Assembly that each component will benefit from the
loan (credit) of US$20,000,000 from the International Development Association
(IDA).
Component 1 directly relates to the roll out of National Health Insurance and
focuses on the demand-side of health services by supporting the Government in
developing and implement a coverage scheme that would allow the population to
receive access to services outlined in the essential benefits package.
“The delivery of an essential benefits package will require improvements in
institutional readiness, ensuring that facilities are adequately equipped to deliver
the proposed package of services. In addition, a focus on results instead of inputs
will be necessary to ensure efficiency gains, thereby enabling an expansion of the
essential benefits package over time. As such, the supply-side of services will
need to be strengthened.”
The cost of this phase is US$5.5M stated the Prime Minister adding that the
Government sees the Design and Implementation of an Essential Benefits
Package, as essential to the national dialogue on the roll-out of a national health
insurance.
It will specifically help the Government define what services would be provided
under the package, guide decisions on the population to be covered and the
financing the package.
Component 2 will encompass US$13M of the Project and will focus on the supply-
side of service delivery meaning that through Performance Based Financing,
incentives will be provided to ensure a focus on results.
“In addition, primary care and ancillary facilities (such as laboratory services)
would be assessed and equipped to ensure they are able to deliver the services
promised through the essential benefits package,” said the Prime Minister.
Component 3 at a cost of US1.5M would provide support to overall project
management and monitoring and evaluation to gauge project progress, while
Component 4 will provide financing for efforts directed at preventing an
outbreak from becoming a deadly and costly pandemic. This component will
only be triggered in the case of a public health emergency.
The Government anticipates that the entire population will benefit from the
project given the public goods nature of improved public health emergency
preparedness and response.
The investments made under the Project are meant to complement each other
and to result in an overall strengthening of the health system.
Delia Dolor is an all-round media professional. She produces and presents television, radio and live shows. She is also a public speaker, magazine and print editor.
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