Pride News Canada's Leader In African Canadian & Caribbean News, Views & Lifestyle
TORONTO, Ontario – The Jamaican Diaspora Canada Foundation (JDCF) and Sunnybrook International are co hosting the first comprehensive forum on the future of Jamaican healthcare to be held in Toronto and Canada.
The conference is set for the McLaughlin Auditorium at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre on the hospital grounds, at 2075 Bayview Avenue in Toronto, from Wednesday July 9 to 12, 2014.
The JDCF says, the Forum will offer a unique opportunity for the Jamaican Diaspora, friends of Jamaica’s health services and Jamaica-based health professionals, to discuss and streamline support, and other solutions, for healthcare needs in Jamaica.
“This healthcare forum is a positive example of that. We look forward to getting lots of community support for this very important initiative,” said Jamaican Diaspora Canada Foundation President, Valerie Steele.
“Jamaica is blessed with having many healthcare professionals, living and working in Canada, and it is hugely important that they are always giving back to Jamaica. Since the inaugural Diaspora Conference in 2004 in Jamaica, the Jamaican Diaspora has been increasing its contribution to Jamaica, and Jamaicans in Canada are a part of that,” the JDCF President added.
In association with the Health Forum, a church service will be held at Applecreek Seven-day Adventist Church, 700 Applecreek Boulevard, Markham, on July 12, from 11am-1pm.
The Forum will focus on collaborating with Jamaica’s Ministry of Health to achieve the goals established in the Vision 2030 plan for the health of the Jamaican people.
Guest Speakers will include: Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson OD, Jamaica’s Minister of Health; Hon. Arnaldo Brown, Jamaica’s Minister of State in the Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade office, with Responsibility for Diaspora and Consular Affairs; Chairman (Dr. John Hall) and Registrar (Dr. Howard Spencer) of the Medical Council of Jamaica; Pearline Cooper-Sharpe, Chair of the Nursing Council of Jamaica and other Regulatory Councils; Major Richard Reece, Commissioner of Customs Government of Jamaica Chairman and Regional Director South East Region Health Authority; Dr. Hugh Wong, head of Accident and Emergency Medicine, Kingston Public Hospital; Dr. Patrick Roberts, a Surgical Oncologist at the University of the West Indies Hospital; along with other leading experts from Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, and Jamaica
Professor Neville Ying, Executive Director of the Jamaican Diaspora Institute—and the Health Forum’s moderator—and Mr. Earl Jarrett, Chair of the Jamaican Diaspora Foundation (Jamaica) will also address the Forum.
Steele said the conference was yet another example of her organization’s commitment to helping Jamaica achieve its 2030 healthcare goals.
Martin Gurbin, Vice President of Sunnybrook International and Director of Business Development and Innovation, said that Sunnybrook International was pleased to support the 2014 Jamaican Diaspora Health Forum in Canada.
“Various health-related challenges and opportunities will be debated, with the intent of developing innovative solutions to improve the long-run health of residents across Jamaica.
“The theme of the Health Forum is building partnerships that support equitable access to quality care, with emphasis on the management of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, as well as maternal and neonatal care, and emergency medicine,” Gurbin said.
He added, “Discussions will also cover the Jamaican National Health Strategy, health human resources development, and the role of the JDCF in the evolution of the Jamaican health system.”
Kingsley Gilliam, the Conference Chairperson, who is also Director of Health and Social Services for the JDCF and a member of the Jamaican Diaspora and Friends Health Sector International Planning Group, said the conference will offer a rich menu of discussion topics by leading experts in the various subject areas.
“While the conference is of special interest to healthcare professionals and those involved in supporting health initiatives in Jamaica, every Jamaican, descendants of Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica, can benefit from attending, and can contribute to the outcome of this ground-breaking forum,” Gilliam said.
“The benefits that can be gleaned from this conference are not exaggerated. We expect all Jamaicans and friends in Canada, in the health sector or any other aspect of community service, to join the JDCF and our Sunnybrook partners, in welcoming all to this unparalleled international, Jamaica-focused health forum,” he added.
Dr. Enid Collins, a member of the Jamaica Diaspora and Friends Health Sector International Planning Group, said a key focus of the discussions will address critical issues associated with healthcare challenges that face Jamaica.
“Among these are the rising incidences of non-communicable diseases, including cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and their impact on the health of Jamaicans and the cost of healthcare,” Dr. Collins said.
Registration for the Health Forum is available on-line at jdcf2014healthforum.eventbrite.com and all Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica are encouraged to participate.
For further information, please contact: Kingsley Gilliam at, kpgilliam@bell.net or 416-756-0856 / 647-267-1774; Valerie Steele, allofus@bell.net or 416-656-4624; and Dr. Enid Collins, enid.collins@sympatico.ca or 416-492-7615.
