Business View Caribbean | October 2020

28 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN OCTOBER 2020 T he North-East Regional Health Authority (NERHA) was established out of the National Health Service Act in 1997 and the Government of Jamaica’s Health Reform Program which decentralized health service delivery. At that time, management of the delivery of health services shifted from central government and the Ministry of Health to four semi-autonomous Regional Health Authorities (RHA). Today, those RHAs are responsible for the operation and management of health services within a defined geographic area. Within the purview of North-East Regional Health Authority, this means overseeing the management of secondary health care delivery throughout three parishes, at St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital, Port Maria and Annotto Bay Hospitals in St. Mary, and the Port Antonio Hospital in Portland, as well as 72 health centers (primary care), two of which were community hospitals (Alexandria and Buff Bay). Business View Caribbean recently spoke with CEO & Regional Director of NERHA, Miss Fabia Lamm, who offered candid insights into how NERHA is helping the region deal with the coronavirus pandemic, and updates on planned infrastructure AT A GLANCE NORTH EAST REGIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITY WHAT: A regional health authority in Jamaica WHERE: Ocho Rios, Jamaica WEBSITE: www.nerha.gov.jm NORTH EAST Regional Health Authority ( NERHA ) THE BEST IN COMMUNITY CARE