MAJ kicks off annual week of activities

Nedburn Thaffe, Gleaner Writer

The Medical Association of Jamaica (MAJ) is reaching out to other groups in the health sector as it observes its annual week of celebrations.

"We are not looking at just physicians now, we really went outside to ensure we have participation from pharmacists, nurses, medical technologists and other health-care providers," MAJ President Dr Winston De La Haye told The Gleaner yesterday.

He was speaking about a symposium planned for Thursday which will be one of the highlights of the annual Medical Doctors' Week.

According to De La Haye, the doctors are mindful of the critical role each group plays in the health sector.

improving health care

Speaking with The Gleaner following a service at Providence Methodist Church in Kingston to mark the start of the week, De La Haye said the symposium will be held at The Jamaica Pegasus under the theme 'Health for Development: One Health, One Medicine'.

"We recognise the importance of a healthy population and a healthy nation if we intend to achieve any meaningful development as a country," De La Haye said.

"We really proceed in our endeavours to ensure we have quality, affordable and accessible health care for all Jamaicans," he added.

The consultant psychiatrist said among the issues to be discussed at the symposium will be the development of veterinary services, drug distribution, and issues surrounding communicable and non-communicable diseases.

"The main purpose is to ensure development of professionals within the group, and so this provides what we call continuing medical education hours."