Jamaica has received a $15-million grant from the Japanese Government for the purchase of an ambulance for the Falmouth Public General Hospital in Trelawny.
Speaking at the signing and cheque presentation, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Christopher Tufton, expressed his gratitude to the government of Japan.
He said that the grant support is another tangible demonstration of the partnership between the two countries.
Tufton also noted that area of the island to be served by the vehicle is “one of those parts of the country where we tend to ignore the speed limit, and the need for mobility, logistics to and from the hospital is always great. So, adding this ambulance to the fleet is a welcome improvement,” adding that Japan is one of Jamaica’s strongest partners.
The minister said that in addition to development assistance, Japan has made significant investment in the island’s agriculture and energy sectors and is the largest market for the island’s Blue Mountain Coffee — every January 9th, Japan also celebrates Blue Mountain Coffee Day.
“In the area of healthcare, the Government of Japan has generously supported Jamaica’s efforts when we were in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic through the provision of grant funding in the amount of approximately US$1.8 million,” Dr. Tufton pointed out.
For his part, Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica, His Excellency Yasuhiro Atsumi, said the support was provided under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots and Human Security Project (GGP).
In Jamaica, the project addresses Basic Human Needs (BHN) in areas such as poverty reduction, natural disaster response, education, health, gender issues and the environment.
“When we provide funding to our partners from the GGP programme, we make sure that it will assist crucial sectors such as health and that is why we have been continuously working with hospitals such as Mandeville, Spanish Town, and St. Ann’s Bay,” the Ambassador said.
