$48 million awarded to health researchers

The government has strengthened support for health research by awarding $48 million to five researchers under the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ Research for Wellness Fund (RFWF) Programme.

The initiative is designed to support research into critical public-health issues, improve health outcomes, and strengthen evidence-based decision-making across the sector.

Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton said the funding is intended to support applied research capable of generating practical solutions to Jamaica’s health challenges and improving healthcare delivery.

He noted that health is not one-dimensional, encompassing areas such as productivity, longevity, quality of life, happiness, and a sense of belonging and purpose.

“We need both,” he said, referring to the contributions of emerging and experienced professionals to the country’s health-research agenda.

The Research for Wellness Fund was launched by Tufton during his 2019 Sectoral Presentation, as part of the ministry’s commitment to fostering innovation, scientific inquiry and locally driven solutions to Jamaica’s health challenges.

The minister said the programme seeks to identify areas in which the country faces particular challenges and provide financial support for research that can help develop solutions. He highlighted Jamaica’s strong tradition of health research, including pioneering work in areas such as sickle cell disease.

The five funded projects will focus on breast cancer, childhood cancer, sickle cell disease, air pollution, and environmental chemical exposure and their links to cancer.

Dr Simone Badal will receive funding for From Cell Lines to Clinical Cohort: Characterising Breast Cancer in Jamaican Women to Inform Treatment, Policy, and International Research.

Dr Michelle Reece-Mills and her team have been awarded funding for Hidden Patients in Crisis: The Psychological Impact of Childhood Cancer on Parents and Siblings in Jamaica.

Dr Tracy Evans-Gilbert has received funding for Building Climate Resilience – Ambulatory Care for Children with Sickle Cell Disease in Western Jamaica, Integrating Registry-Based Care with Post-Hurricane Health System Analysis.

Dr Andrean Williams was awarded funding for research assessing air-pollution exposure and its effects on respiratory health in an urban Jamaican city through a prospective panel study.

Dr Shelley McFarlane received funding for The Role of Environmental Chemical Exposure in the Development of Cervical, Prostate, and Colorectal Cancers.

Tufton said the research is expected to deepen understanding of the health conditions and risk factors affecting Jamaicans, including tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diets and air pollution.

He emphasised that the findings must ultimately be accessible and useful to healthcare professionals and policymakers, so they can inform treatment, health planning and interventions that improve the lives of Jamaicans.

The minister commended the researchers, the research committee, and the National Health Fund (NHF) for supporting the initiative.

He said applicants are assessed against rigorous criteria, including the quality of the research, its potential contribution to healthcare delivery, the competence of the researchers, and access to the findings once the studies are completed.

“We must support research if we are to evolve and become better at what we do,” Tufton said, encouraging qualified researchers to take advantage of future opportunities under the Research for Wellness Fund.