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Minister of Health, Donville Inniss (FP)

Cabinet has approved the establishment of a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Desk at the Ministry of Health, in an effort to facilitate improved health outcomes for its clients.

This was revealed last weekend by Minister of Health, Donville Inniss, at a seminar entitled: Living with Cancer: from Bench to Bedside, which was held by the Cancer Support Services at the Hilton Barbados, Needhams Point, St. Michael.

He explained that the NGO desk would assist in strengthening the relationship and partnership between the Ministry of Health and the NGO sector at the national level, in ways that would improve the health of citizens.

"The NGO desk is now a function of the Ministry’s Health Promotion Unit and an officer has been assigned to this desk as of June 4 this year," the Minister added.

Duties of the desk will include: creating and maintaining a database of Health related NGOs in Barbados; working with the Ministry’s Planning and Research Unit to coordinate the preparation and dissemination of grant agreements between the Ministry and NGOs; and facilitating NGO access to information on health issues.

It is also expected to evaluate the performance of NGOs, using objectives and indicators outlined in grant agreements, as the basis for the procurement of funding from the Ministry of Health.

Mr. Inniss also disclosed that a National Advisory Committee on Chronic Pain Management had been established earlier this year in February, as a way of forming a vital link with the Continuing Medical Education Initiative, as enshrined in the Medical Registration Act.

According to the Health Minister, members of the NGO Committee are expected to advise him on matters relating to chronic pain as well as to conduct public awareness campaigns to educate patients, families and caregivers on the significance of pain, as a national public health issue.

The Health Minister also lauded the work of the Cancer Support Services over the years, pointing out that the organisation had made great strides in providing a safe haven, comfort and care for cancer patients throughout Barbados.

kim.ramsay-moore@barbados.gov.bb

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