Caledonia Medical to Provide Lab Tests for Several Public Hospitals
By: , May 14, 2019The Key Point:
Photo: Adrian Walker
Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (second left), presents a signed copy of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to Managing Director, Caledonia Medical Laboratory Limited, Barbara Hendricks (third right). The document will facilitate a partnership between the Ministry and the lab, which will see the entity providing diagnostic services to several public hospitals across the island. The Minister and Ms. Hendricks signed the agreement during a ceremony at the Ministry's New Kingston offices on Monday (May 13). Looking on (from left) is Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry, Dunstan Bryan; Director, Health Systems Support and Monitoring, Health Ministry, Dr. Beverley Wright; Head, Health Promotion and Protection Branch in the Ministry, Dr. Simone Spence; and Administrative Manager, Caledonia Medical, June Bryan.The Facts
- Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton; and Managing Director of Caledonia Medical Laboratory, Barbara Hendricks, signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Monday (May 13), at the Ministry’s New Kingston offices.
- Under the agreement, Caledonia Medical Laboratory will provide microbiology services to Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), Bustamante Hospital for Children, Victoria Jubilee Hospital, Spanish Town Hospital, National Chest Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital and Linstead Hospital.
The Full Story
The Ministry of Health and Wellness has partnered with Caledonia Medical Laboratory Limited to provide laboratory tests for several public hospitals across the island.
Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton; and Managing Director of Caledonia Medical Laboratory, Barbara Hendricks, signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Monday (May 13), at the Ministry’s New Kingston offices.
Under the agreement, Caledonia Medical Laboratory will provide microbiology services to Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), Bustamante Hospital for Children, Victoria Jubilee Hospital, Spanish Town Hospital, National Chest Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital and Linstead Hospital.
The tests include ear, eye, throat, nasal, sputum, urine, blood, and sterility.
The provision is part of a $1-billion programme being undertaken by the Government to reduce waiting time within the public health system.
The programme, which was announced by portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, during his Sectoral presentation on May 7, aims to address delays in the provision of diagnostic tests, day and inpatient surgeries, and also shortage in bed space.
Caledonia Medical Laboratory is the first entity to sign on to the diagnostic aspect of the programme.
Dr. Tufton said that the Government’s objective is to “do away” with the practice of sending public health patients to do diagnostic tests privately, at their expense.
As such, he said that the arrangement will enable persons to access diagnostic services in the private space “but we will deal with the cost”.
“We want to be able, once we identify limited capacity, to boost our capacity by adding private providers within a transparent governance framework to add to what we do. We really believe in the partnerships and we think Caledonia clearly qualifies for this,” he said.
Under the initiative, it is intended that Jamaicans who are examined in the public health system and approved for diagnostic tests will be given the tests free of charge, even if they have to get them done by an approved private provider.
These include computerised tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, angiography, endoscopy (colonoscopy and urogenital endoscopy), and histopathology.