Over the next five years, the Ministry of Health & Wellness intends to make significant capital investments that should result in an improvement in the infrastructure and equipment at selected public hospitals and health centres; the use of technology in patient management and management of resources; new service offerings; technological innovations in the delivery of services; and the use of a networked approach in the delivery of health care. This level of capital investment can be regarded as extraordinary due to its magnitude and focus.
It is to be noted that these are not investments that are part of the Ministry’s regular annual capital expenditure which will be expected to continue.
This five-year investment programme will not resolve all the issues faced by the public health sector but should result in tangible benefits to the Jamaican people. It will provide the foundation for the transformation and modernization of the public health sector, and will be a catalyst for the improvement in patients’ experience in terms of the quality and quantity of service received.
The level of CapEx contemplated over the five year period is expected to place the country firmly on a trajectory to have its health indicators trending in the right direction, resulting in an improved quality of life for all Jamaicans, for the foreseeable future.
Dr. the Hon. Christopher C. Tufton, MP
Minister of Health