Jamaica’s National Health Fund to plant 20,000 trees for 20th anniversary
June 5, 2023 -Jamaica’s National Health Fund (NHF) is coordinating the planting of 20-thousand trees island-wide as a Corporate Social Responsibility activity in observance of its 20th anniversary.
The launch of the tree-planting project will take place at Drug Serv, Greater Portmore Health Center in St Catherine on Tuesday, June 6, starting at 9:30 a.m.
Minister with responsibility for the Environment, the Hon. Matthew Samuda delivering the main address.
According to Everton Anderson, the chief executive officer, “the NHF recognizes that tree-planting can have a positive impact on our health as trees play a vital role in the environment, absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen that helps to improve air quality – a factor directly linked to respiratory health. We believe that as an organization we have a responsibility to take action that can improve our health as well as the environment, and we are proud to do our part through this initiative.”
The NHF will coordinate with a number of stakeholders, including clients, staff, suppliers, schools, churches, non-governmental organizations, as well as health partners to distribute and plant the seedlings towards the target of 20-thousand trees. Ornamental seedlings will be available free of cost at various locations island wide. The project is in collaboration with the Forestry Department that is providing ornamental seedlings free of cost.
In keeping with the environmental thrusts, the NHF has also embarked on a solar system project to minimize its carbon footprint. Consequently, three NHF locations with a need for an alternate power supply were identified; the Drug Serv Pharmacy at the Greater Portmore Health Centre is the first to have a solar system installed.
