KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica yesterday received a donation of medicines, including supplies of antiretroviral drugs, blood pressure and heart medications, valued at approximately $20 million from the Government of India.

Foreign Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton and High Commissioner for the Republic of India to Jamaica Sevala Naik presided over the handover ceremony held at the Foreign Ministry’s Headquarters.

Johnson Smith said the donation signalled the positive development in Jamaica’s relations with India and said “In accepting this generous offer from India, I must underscore that this particular donation comes at a time when the Government of India is embarking on its own journey in a bid to make public healthcare accessible for all its citizens.

“We therefore, are truly grateful that the Government of India has also given special consideration to the health of the Jamaican people,” she added.

The foreign affairs minister further stated that Jamaica and India are working towards the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of Health and Medicine.

She said the MOU would “allow the respective Governments to work more closely together to upgrade the quality and scope of human, material and infrastructural resources in healthcare, medical education, training and research in the two countries”.

For his part, Tufton acknowledged that this donation would “bolster the ministry’s stock of medication from the curative perspective as we continue the fight against non-communicable diseases”. He also said “the medication received will assist hundreds of persons who access the public health services and who suffer from one or more ailments including cancer, hypertension and diabetes”.