Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day , held annually on December 12, highlights the severe human consequences of unaffordable healthcare expenses. This campaign demands immediate action, urging decision-makers to confront this urgent issue head-on.
A significant portion of the world’s population remains without access to essential health services, underscoring a critical ongoing challenge. The 2025 theme, “Unaffordable health costs?”, directly addresses this barrier to achieving health for all.
Dr. Alisha Eugene-Ford, Medical Director of the Respiratory Hospital, unequivocally stated, “The health of the nation is the wealth of the nation.” She affirmed that the UHC project is actively pursuing collaboration with various departments, led by the Ministry of Health, to implement essential health services in a phased manner.
“We are currently developing a Three-tier finance model with the Joint International Providers Association (JIPA) to ensure its effectiveness,” Dr. Eugene-Ford confirmed.
“The Three-tier model includes Tier I, which encompasses the Essential Packages of Health Services that every Saint Lucian will receive. It involves a consolidated model, channeling a percentage of existing funds within the financial system in Saint Lucia into a special healthcare fund,” Dr. Eugene-Ford explained.
Additionally, she emphasized that these funds will be utilized to finance healthcare in Saint Lucia. “We are establishing a fixed annual contribution per Saint Lucian to fund Tier 1 essentials, including Hospital Care,” she stated.
These funds will also enable the ministry to engage with insurance companies, an initiative already underway, as the landscape has not adequately catered to Persons with Communicable Diseases (PCDs) or older individuals with disabilities and retirees.
She declared, “We are persuading insurance companies to present a compatible package within the model so that no one is left behind.”
In Tiers 1, 2, and 3, which extend beyond Saint Lucian shores, Dr. Eugene-Ford assured, “Those who cannot afford any form of care or payment will not be overlooked. Our model is designed to cater to those unable to pay for their healthcare.”
Anticipating the future, Dr. Eugene-Ford announced forthcoming services, including Maternal Healthcare, Cervical Cancer Screening, Prostate testing, Bioxy for men, neurology reviews, Breast cancer screening, and snake bite prevention and treatment.
Looking ahead to 2026, she stated, “We will implement co-rectal cancer screening and gastric cancer screening. We are committed to advancing our hypertension and diabetes screening and treatment initiatives under the Performance-Based Financing (BPF) pilot project.”
Dr. Eugene-Ford reiterated, “We will expand the PBF methodology across the UHC project to ensure all staff and patients play a vital role in transforming the healthcare landscape.”
To elevate health services in the country, she revealed, “We are establishing a UHC Authority, a legal entity dedicated to creating a financial system to meet the healthcare needs of our population, both locally and internationally.”
R.A.