Floyd Morris | NHF double subsidy: A lifeline of dignity for persons with disabilities

I write not just as Director of the UWI Centre for Disability Studies, but as a Jamaican with a disability who has lived the reality of navigating life, education and healthcare in a society that is still learning to be fully inclusive. I wish to publicly commend the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr the Hon Christopher Tufton, and the National Health Fund (NHF) Board, management and staff for the weighty decision to introduce a double subsidy for persons living with disabilities.

Effective September 30, and officially launched on October 15 at the NHF Head Office in New Kingston, Jamaicans with disabilities who are registered with the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD) and who hold an NHF Card will now benefit from twice the standard NHF subsidy on eligible medication, medical supplies and diagnostic claims, with coverage of up to 95 per cent of the submitted cost. This is not a small administrative adjustment. It is a profound act of social justice. It represents a projected annual investment of $50 million and has the potential to transform the lives of the approximately 20,000 Jamaicans currently registered with the JCPD who meet the eligibility criteria, and many more who will now be encouraged to register. To understand why this matters, we must understand the lived reality of persons with disabilities in Jamaica.

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Persons with disabilities remain one of the most marginalised groups in our society. This marginalisation is not accidental. It is built on four interlocking pillars.