Gov't urged provide comprehensive health insurance coverage for police officers

 

The government is facing renewed calls to provide comprehensive health insurance coverage for all members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. 

 

It follows the funeral for Corporal Kenisha Allen, who was laid to rest on Monday after battling illness. 

 

Corporal Allen, who served the force for 21 years, died on May 23. 

 

Speaking of the funeral service, executive member of the Jamaica Police Federation Corporal Tanisha Lewis, said the health and welfare of police officers have been overlooked for far too long. 

 

She said officers deserve proper health care, especially when faced with unavoidable illnesses. 

 

"How many times? How much more? This moment is more than a moment of grief. It's a moment of reckoning. Let me be clear that we are still renewing our call, firmly and urgently, for a 100% health insurance coverage for all members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. This is not a luxury. This is not a favour. This is a distant goal. This is a moral imperative. The government of Jamaica, as our employer, must respond with the seriousness, the urgency, and the compassion that this issue demands," she pleaded. 

 

Corporal Lewis also called for the hospital protocols to be observed for police officers. She said the government should treat the issue as a matter of urgency to reflect the sacrifices being made by police officers. 

 

"Too many of our officers spend time in waiting rooms in the hospitals, than in our divisions and with our families. Too many are sent home with those answers, and too many are forced to fight silent battles, alone, afraid, and unanswered. Corporal Allen passing is more than a personal loss. It's a national call to action. Our heroes may wear uniforms, but beneath that uniform are mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, caregivers, and bread winners," she outlined.