Washington DC, 16 March, 2023 (PAHO) - The Ministry of Health and Wellness of Jamaica has officially become a member of the Health Technology Assessment Network of the Americas (RedETSA), of which PAHO acts as Secretariat.
With this incorporation, RedETSA reaches 41 members from 21 countries in the Region of the Americas. Jamaica is the second English Caribbean country to participate in the Network, after Bermuda, which shows the growing interest in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) in the Caribbean.
To support decision-making on the incorporation of health technologies within the health system, the Jamaican Ministry of Health and Wellness has created a new multidisciplinary working group on HTA, gathering 12 professionals from different areas. Being a member of RedETSA will facilitate exchanges with other members of the Network, leading to the strengthening of HTA capacities.
PAHO is supporting Jamaica in developing a policy on Health Technology Assessment and Management. In addition to the technical cooperation in HTA, PAHO has also drafted a work proposal for 2023 that includes the strengthening of capacities in health technology management and the development of a List of Priority Medical Devices for the first level of care.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness of Jamaica has designated Dr. Maureen Golding, Chief Technical Director, as the main focal point for RedETSA and for the development of the aforementioned activities in collaboration with PAHO.
