India-UN Fund: Strengthening Barbados’ Health System in the Transition Period of COVID-19 Recovery

The Barbados Drug Service (BDS) now has the capacity to expand the services it offers the public due to the donation of a refrigerated truck from the Government of India.

The vehicle was officially handed over to the Drug Service, yesterday, Monday, April 15, during a brief ceremony held at BDS headquarters in Warrens Towers II, Warrens, St Michael.

Speaking to those in attendance, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Wayne Marshall, said that the donation was the final deliverable of the Procurement of Medical Equipment and Supplies for the Benefit of the Government of Barbados Project, which has already seen an injection of 107 pieces of medical equipment valued at just over $1.3 million, and has benefitted medical centres across the island.

He shared that the equipment included servers, one handheld spectrometer, vital sign monitors, nebulizers, thermal printers, and a mobile X-ray machine. The project management and procurement services for the project were provided The United Nations Office for Project Services.

Marshall said the objective of the project was to provide government, through the India-UN Fund and United Nations Development Programme/United Nations Office for South Cooperation, with medical equipment to strengthen the Barbados health system in the transition period of the COVID-19 recovery.

He said: “We are all aware pharmaceuticals are temperature-sensitive and the ability to maintain and monitor specific temperatures is paramount to ensuring the efficacy of the products. The refrigerated truck will, therefore, essentially ensure that the products are transported in a temperature-controlled manner.“

“In this regard, the vehicle will, therefore, fulfill a critical need that has existed at the BDS for many years and will be utilised every day in the safe delivery of pharmaceuticals to the pharmacies,” he stated. “There are more than 15 pharmacies that are part of the Barbados Drug Service.“

“Indeed, these strategic partners have collaboratively made a significant contribution to the drug distribution service … and, in so doing, have improved the national health system,“ he added.

High Commissioner of India to Barbados, Dr. Shankar Balachandran, said the India-UN fund supports projects across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

He said developing countries and small island developing states are prioritised for project selection since these nations often face unique development challenges and require targeted support.

He professed that this spirit of solidarity could be observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when India was among the first nations to offer small island developing states, including Barbados, essential supplies such as life-saving drugs and protective gear. India donated 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Barbados in February 2021.

Balachandran added that India’s support went beyond health care, as it had proposed grant funding for five other projects, each valued at US $50,000, and another US $1 million grant for the procurement of machinery to help small and medium-sized enterprises.

Acting Director of the Barbados Drug Service, Delores Mascoll, said the BDS had earmarked on the vehicle for several important tasks, which include, but are not limited to, the establishment of a free delivery service to patients who cannot attend the pharmacies; the implementation of a mobile pharmacy education programme, where pharmacists can go into communities that have no clinics to liaise with patients; being a part of medical services offered at sporting and entertainment events; and to package essential medicines in the event of a disaster to take to communities which may be impacted.

Source: https://barbados.loopnews.com/content/india-donates-refrigerated-truck-barbados-drug-service

** This article first featured on the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC)