THE South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) has acquired five new vehicles, valued at approximately $44 million, to improve patient care, strengthen service delivery, and enhance operational efficiency across the region.

The fleet comprises a retrofitted, wheelchair-accessible Coaster bus valued at approximately $17.8 million, and four panel vans costing about $6.6 million each.

Regional director of SERHA Lascelles Brown said the authority’s experiences while maintaining its existing fleet prompted a shift in its procurement strategy.

Brown said an internal assessment over the past two years showed the region has been spending significant sums repairing manual transmission vehicles, causing it to make a change.

“We have been using a standard vehicle, which is what we call the clutch. We change them so regularly… the next set of vehicles we procure must be automatic because we can’t afford to be spending so much money to replace clutch and pressure plate, and then the downtime that comes with that,” added Brown.

He said future vehicle purchases for the region will therefore be automatic, to help reduce maintenance costs and keep more vehicles on the road.

Speaking at Friday’s handover ceremony at the National Chest Hospital, Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton urged SERHA to properly maintain the new fleet as he noted that the purchase represents a significant investment of public funds.

“We have spent $44 million dollars of taxpayers’ money. It’s important that we maintain the infrastructure,” he said.

Tufton also encouraged those responsible for operating the vehicles to exercise care.

Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton (third left) in discussion with staff of the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) during the unveiling of five new vehicles acquired by the authority on Friday.

“So, those who are driving them, those who are using them, do the right thing to get the full balance out of them. Let them depreciate as they ought to, based on the projections of how long these things must last,” he urged.

While welcoming the additions as another step towards improving patient care and service delivery, the health minister reiterated his call for Jamaicans to take greater responsibility for their own health.

“We have to start seeing health, first and foremost, as a matter of personal responsibility… If we do not take care of ourselves we are going to ultimately demand the health services long before we really should demand it,” Tufton warned.

He argued that while investments such as the new vehicles will strengthen the public health system, they cannot sustainably shoulder the burden of preventable illnesses resulting from unhealthy lifestyles.

“Anybody who thinks that the system is there for people who live irresponsibly, and don’t treat themselves well, and expects that we’re going to cure them of all the manner of evil that they would have brought on to themselves for the most part… then, it’s not sustainable,” said Tufton.

The investment is expected to improve transportation for patients requiring wheelchair-accessible services, strengthen the timely delivery of meals, and enhance the continuity of health-care delivery and other operational support across the region.

Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre will receive the retrofitted, wheelchair-accessible Coaster bus, along with one of the panel vans, to support its dietary services.

St Joseph’s Hospital will receive another panel van to assist with operational errands and service delivery requirements, while the remaining two panel vans will serve as contingency vehicles for coordinated laundry support and other approved operational needs within the region’s transport department.

SERHA is the island’s largest regional health authority, comprising nine hospitals and 91 health centres.