Health Training Institute To Be Established In Mobay

A US$17-million health training institute, which will expand Jamaica’s offerings in health tourism and medical education, is to be established in Montego Bay, St. James.

Expected to open its doors by the latest June next year, the institute, which will be hosted by the University of the West Indies (UWI), will serve as a satellite campus for the Bioprist Institute of Medical Sciences – an independent subsidiary of the Bioprist Group.

It will be housed within a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) focused on healthcare and wellness, to be dubbed, ‘The Grand Ridge Medical City’, that will be built, operated and promoted by the Bioprist Group, which is a conglomerate of diversified sectors, primarily in healthcare, related industries and pharmaceuticals.

This integrated healthcare zone will also accommodate up to a 300-bed teaching and research hospital providing medical tourism services.

The Bioprist Group and the UWI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to undertake this initiative during a virtual ceremony, on Tuesday (May 18).

Speaking at the event, President of Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Diane Edwards, informed that under the MOU, the well-known, well-respected brands of the two entities will be leveraged towards attracting international students and patients, expand options for training beyond medical students, and open opportunities for the UWI’s established medical school to expand its reach.

JAMPRO is the agency through which the partnership has been facilitated.

Through such initiatives, the Bioprist Institute is leveraging the expertise of various local and international universities, namely the UWI, to host respective satellite campuses with accredited programmes in the fields of medicine, chiropractic, nursing, dentistry and other healthcare professions.

“The unique selling proposition of cooperation is that it will offer United States (US), United Kingdom (UK) and Caribbean accredited programmes in state-of-the-art facilities that are offshore and nearshore to the major target markets,” she said.

Ms. Edwards said JAMPRO is “excited” about this initiative, as it “checks all our boxes”, including expansion of Jamaica’s offering as a medical tourism destination, development of offshore medical school offerings, and expansion and diversification of the local SEZ locations – “all of which translates into economic development – foreign and local direct investment and jobs”.

In his remarks, Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang,  welcomed the partnership, noting that “it is very good to have the University [of the West Indies] teaming up with a young dynamic entrepreneurial company,” to contribute to Jamaica’s continued development.

“This is a great partnership, which I am sure will see success and really set the stage for a new kind of development and investment in our country,” he said.

For his part, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Bioprist Group, Dr. Guna Muppuri, said this venture represents a personal journey he has undertaken through his company, to help to improve the quality of education, while contributing to the country’s economic development.

Meanwhile, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal, UWI, Mona Campus, Professor Dale Webber, said it is an excellent alignment between academia and industry, “where together, we will make a partnership which will allow us to train continuously, retrain and expand our procedures”.

He noted, as well, that through this MOU, the university will improve its agility by using technology, where simulation will be used wherever possible “to enhance the multiplier effect”.

“So, whether it is in dentistry, nursing [and other] programmes, we will be able to take advantage of all the opportunities that are available, not just in Jamaica but globally, using technology in our transfer,” he explained.