27 New Operating Theatres for Hospitals Over Two Years

With the new buildout of the health infrastructure, another 27 new operating theatres will be added to hospitals over the next two years.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, made the announcement during his contribution to the 2025/26 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, on Tuesday (June 10).

“That’s a 37 per cent increase in new operating theatres over the next two years.,” Dr. Tufton said.

There are currently 73 operating theatres in the public health system, including 17 at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

The Minister informed that Cornwall Regional Hospital will have 11 new operating theatres, and the Spanish Town Hospital will get an additional three operating theatres.

In addition, the St. Ann’s Bay Hospital, May Pen Hospital, Chapelton Community Hospital, Noel Holmes Hospital, National Chest Hospital, Lionel Town Community Hospital, and the Linstead Hospital will all get one or one additional theatre.

The Western Child and Adolescent Hospital will receive four.

Meanwhile, Dr. Tufton noted that at any given time, approximately 20 per cent of operating theatres are down and, more often than not, unexpectedly so.

This, he said, has contributed to delays in patient elective surgeries, adding that it is also true that in a high-trauma society, elective surgeries are oftentimes rescheduled due to trauma cases coming in unexpectedly.

“We need to ensure better maintenance of our operating theatres and do better scheduling for trauma cases. I have been assessing this issue with administrators and surgeons and as a result have instructed the regional health authorities to appoint an operating theatre manager at each hospital, whose responsibility it will be to ensure that best practice protocols are followed for scheduled maintenance and usage,” Dr. Tufton said.

They are also to develop and implement a revised policy on supplier servicing and inventory of parts to ensure quick turnaround for repairs.

“A major pain point in this area is maintaining air quality through efficient ventilation systems. I have asked that all operating theatres have a backup ventilation system for when the main system goes down, either unexpectedly or for maintenance,” the Minister said.