Improvements in infrastructure, ICT, and increased focus on mental health are among the priority areas for the Ministry of Health and Wellness this financial year 2022/2023. Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton made the disclosure while delivering greetings at the Ministry’s Thanksgiving Service to mark the new financial year, held yesterday at the Boulevard Baptist Church.
“The pandemic has reinforced for us the need to press ahead – and in urgency – with our plans to enhance the resilience of the public health system. This includes completing improvements in information communication technology that enable greater efficiency in accessing and processing health records, telemedicine and physical infrastructure upgrades that allow greater access to beds and state-of-the-art medical equipment,” Dr. Tufton noted.
Among the infrastructural upgrades are the start of expansion works on Spanish Town Hospital; completing Phase 2B and beginning Phase 3 on Cornwall Regional Hospital and commencing other works under the UHWI Redevelopment Programme.
It is also the intent of the Ministry to centralize its Information Communication Technology function internally and across the regional health authorities.
At the same time, the Ministry will also intensify its mental health services owing to the needs of the population.
“We are informed by team members in the field that in some parts of Jamaica, there has been an increase in the cases of mental disorders, notably depression and anxiety. The number of people reaching out for help through the Ministry’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Helpline: 888-NEW-LIFE (888-639-5433) also increased by 53.85 between October 2019 and December 2021 (888 in 2019/2020 to 1,648 in 2021),” Dr. Tufton continued.
The Ministry, in collaboration with UNICEF recently launched the U-Matter Chatline for Youths 16 to 24 years old and will complement this with supporting resources.
Other targets for the new financial year include improvements in customer satisfaction and maternal health services.