As Jamaica commences the deployment of the vaccination programme aimed at achieving the long-term health security of the country, the Government of Jamaica and the private sector have agreed that a return to full production is key to economic recovery.

A successful vaccination deployment programme requires a unified national approach and the mobilisation of all available physical, human and technology resources as well as strong marketing and communication skills, the effective achievement of which will require strong public and private sector partnership.

The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association and Jamaica Chamber of Commerce therefore reached out to Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Christopher Tufton to indicate its  intent and willingness to work with the Government to achieve the requisite herd immunity of the population and the early return to a more productive economy.

Following those discussions, Jamaica’s private sector has announced a public-private partnership to achieve the above objectives.

“The private sector stands ready to work together with our government in sourcing and resourcing the acquisition of vaccines; assisting with the provision of transportation and storage; human resources in the areas of administration of training; marketing and public relations and the allocation of trained inoculators; further and most importantly, the vaccination of our workers and staff so as to enable the full resumption of all productive activities which require close proximity.

“To facilitate this vaccination of the workforce, we recommend that the private sector be allowed to purchase and import its own supply of vaccination for deployment through the private health care network as is currently done with the annual flu vaccine, under the supervision and guidance of the MOHW in the same manner as non-over-the-counter drugs now handled,” the PSOJ said in a release. 

This first step of collaboration will be to develop the protocols, guidelines and strategies to secure adequate vaccine supplies to fulfil the commitment made by Prime Minister Andrew Holness to ensure that vaccines will be accessible to those Jamaicans who cannot afford it and also to restore the productive capacity of the economy.

“It is imperative that as many of our people as possible are inoculated against COVID- 19 and those of us who can help have an obligation to do so in order for our nation to rise as one,” said the PSOJ.