ASSISTANT secretary for global affairs at the US Department for Health and Human Services, Loyce Pace, is emphasising the importance of digital health and equity regarding distribution of innovations, if there is to be real impact as it relates to health-care services in the region.

Pace, who is visiting Jamaica for the 66th CARPHA Health Research Conference, said with the focus on digital health in the wake of COVID-19, it is paramount to remember that innovations can’t outpace access and it is important for policymakers to twin the two.

“Some of that means the stakeholders that utilise digital health technologies or who will benefit from digital health technologies are at the table to begin with when it comes to planning some of these programmes and service,s and so that way the technologies themselves are centred around those individuals,” she told the Jamaica Observer on Thursday during a round-table interview at the US Embassy in St Andrew.

She added: “Sometimes these technologies come into being and everyone goes, ‘what does this mean to me and why does this matter for me?’. It will take some work to bring the health sector together with the technology sector and get it right, but those are some things our department of health is doing or trying to do and model for the region and the world.”

Further, Pace said the US tries to do a lot to support the health systems broadly in Jamaica, and through the financial intermediary fund, remains committed but more so in a way that sees equitable distribution and access to resources.

“It is critical because we have this cycle of crisis and complacency when it comes to global health emergencies and this fund is meant to have resources or at least mobilise resources that can be in place to prevent another pandemic or at least respond to another pandemic should one be upon us at any point in the future… it has to be the case where this works for the world and not just for a subset of countries,” she said.

On the point of equitable distribution and access, Pace said, “One of the ways that we’re trying to ensure that is by literally having a seat at the table for lower and middle-income countries. So the idea is to have them serve in a vice-chair role with the World Health Organization (WHO) as part of a technical advisory panel. We also, as the US Government, fully support civil society being at the table as well because it’s not just about countries and governments and what they can do but also non-governmental actors, community-based organisations and other stakeholders. So this has to be all hands on deck if we’re going to get it right.

“…The pandemic did not just have an impact on the health sector. It had an impact on global economies, obviously national economies, and societal needs and interests have been really uncovered in term of what’s required and there are different ways we’re trying to address that in our country. The president is trying to ensure that people can rebuild in the wake of the pandemic — that’s going to be critical for each country to take those steps moving forward. The fund is focused on what comes after COVID. There is already some initiatives in place to really focus more on COVID both at the bank and at WHO, especially through the ACT accelerator which is kind of a coalition of mini organisations and institutions as you know,” Pace said.

In the meantime, regarding approach to addressing health needs of the population, Pace said it is important to start at the grass-roots level.

“Start with the person or the individual and really recognising that people’s experiences drive their health-seeking behaviours. It drives their trust of public health information and institutions and it obviously drives their access to these services. There’s a lot, obviously, that governments and other institutions can do to reach people. But we have to be asking the right questions and knowing what their needs fundamentally are, and how best we can meet them,” she said.

Pace added that it was great to see how the Caribbean region comes together to solve health issues.

“For what it’s worth, those of us in the States, also I think other parts of the world, are paying attention to how you all have combated COVID-19, how you’re continuing to address HIV, but also just broadly how you’re looking at health holistically, and in a way that again acknowledges the range of issues that individuals and communities face, but also the ways that health is related to other areas like climate, for example, and particularly as it affects the Caribbean region. It’s exciting to be here and to have these interesting discussions and learn from countries in the Caribbean how we can advance the health of our own communities at home,” she said.