Health Minister John Boyce has announced that the Ministry of Health is transitioning from the main role of healthcare provider to that of regulator of health services.
Addressing the E.R Walrond Scientific Symposium at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital yesterday, Boyce added that the Ministry has been assigning the provision of health care services through partnership agreements with the private sector and non-governmental agencies.
Minister of Health John Boyce
According to him services being provided under this arrangement included long-term geriatric care, substance dependency treatment, diabetic specialist care and cardiac rehabilitative care.
Boyce also commended the work of the researchers, saying “Research is a critical determinant for growth in any institution and especially the health care setting where the emergence of new diseases makes it mandatory for new treatment regimes to be developed.”
He added that there is need for new approaches to treating patients in keeping with “our fast-paced, technologically driven society”, given the changing trends and lifestyles.
According to Boyce, the Ministry of Health will continue to partner with organisers and researchers to allow research to help effectively shape policies and improve efficiencies in the public and private health care system.
He also had high praise for Sir Errol Walrond, in whose honour the symposium was held, for his service to the Barbados Medical Council.
The Minister noted that the Council had transitioned to an almost full-time professional office which “ensures that only the highest internationally accepted practices are applied to the practice of medicine in Barbados”, under the stewardship of Sir Errol, who recently resigned as chairman of the Council.
Boyce also acknowledged the contribution to the Council of the late Vallan Franklin, who passed away last month.