Dear Editor,

There was a recent piece of news circulating throughout the media which spoke to the intent of current Prime Minister Andrew Holness to reshuffle his Cabinet. While a Cabinet reshuffle, similar to the privilege of being selected to serve in the executive, is the prerogative of the prime minister, I would like to lend my two cents in relation to one minister who I believe should remain in his post.

As a young Jamaican working in the health sector I am well acquainted with the challenges which the sector stakeholders endure on a a daily basis. As an informed citizen, I am also familiar with the resource constraints which hamstrung any effort at a complete overhaul of the health system. With all of this in mind, I am still feeling more hopeful than ever for the prospects of serious improvement in the health sector. I believe that this new-found hope is borne out of the approach taken by the current Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton.

Without striving to be deliberately unfair to any of his predecessors, I can truly say that his style of leadership and approach have made me feel good about the public health sector, and especially about what it can become. The initiatives set in motion by Dr Tufton, inclusive of the pilot programmes aimed at reducing waiting periods to both access doctors as well as medication, have, by most indications, been most beneficial. Other steps, such as the ongoing provision of the human papillomavirus vaccine to adolescent females, as well as the move to review the pharmacy statutes with a view to allow family nurse practitioners to be able to prescribe certain medication, are all pointing to a fresh mindset within the Ministry of Health, led no doubt by the minister.

It cannot be stated that all is well. Certainly the infrastructure is in dire need of improvement and staff retention is still an issue; however, I believe firmly that Dr Tufton and his team may very well prove salubrious to the entire country.

Please, don’t move him.

Noel Matherson

noelmatherson@gmail.com