Japan provides Jamaica with $261 million for COVID-19 fight

Judana Murphy, Gleaner Writer

The Japanese government has provided a total of $261.6 million in grant support to Jamaica’s COVID-19 response.

At the signing ceremony today, Minister of Finance, Dr Nigel Clarke, explained that the grant will enable public health facilities across Jamaica to procure medical supplies and equipment.

“The medical equipment consists of nine bedside X-ray machines, nine B2 portable ultrasound scanners, nine B4 bedside monitors and six B6 defibrillators. In addition, nine units of D6 X-ray protection screens and 18 units of D7 X-ray protection aprons,” he detailed.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kamina Johnson Smith, said the aid represents another positive development in the longstanding and dynamic relationship between the countries.

“As we reinforce our management of the coronavirus pandemic, we are particularly pleased to work with a partner like Japan - a recognised global leader in disaster risk management, response and recovery. A partner that recognises the value in investing in economic and social development,” said Johnson Smith.

Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica, Hiromasa Yamazaki, shared that both governments had discussions for a month to identify how best Japan could help strengthen Jamaica’s health system as it combats the pandemic.

“The universal goal of the government of Japan is to enable all the people in the world to enjoy greater opportunities offered by a safe and secure environment and that is why we stand together with other international development partners, and the international community at large, to work assiduously to contain the virus spread, which is not only threatening human lives but also social and economic livelihoods across geographical borders,” the ambassador said.

In her remarks, chief medical officer, Dr Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, expressed appreciation for the grant, which she said is timely for strengthening capacity as Jamaica relaxes COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Bisasor-McKenzie explained that Jamaica is now making the transition from keeping the virus out, to learning to live with it.

“The health system therefore has to have the ability to sustain the present measures and further to increase its capacity to manage more cases while continuing routine and emergency care for non-COVID patients.”

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