Jamaicans across the diaspora are being lauded for their invaluable contribution in helping the local economy stay afloat through remittances during the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, said that remittances jumped approximately US$500 million to US$2.9 billion in 2020, which helped to cushion the loss of US$2.5 billion in foreign exchange...

The Government has earmarked $530 million for continued modernisation of the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). The major hospital redevelopment project includes the construction of a new tower with 58 additional bed spaces, 35 neonatal cots and seven operating theatres, and the purchase of medical equipment. As contained in the 2023/2024 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House...

The Government has earmarked $365 million to continue work on the construction of the Western Children and Adolescent Hospital in Montego Bay, St. James, during the new financial year. Details are outlined in the 2023/2024 Estimates of Expenditure, which was recently tabled in the House of Representatives. The project is aimed at building a 220-bed facility on the compound of...

The Government will be spending more than $2 billion on works for the continued redevelopment of the St. James-based Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH). The objective of the project is to improve service delivery in the public health system by rehabilitating the CRH to include ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems; mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems; information and communications technology (ICT)...

The Government will be spending $838 million on the National HIV/AIDS Response in Jamaica Project during the 2023/2024 fiscal year. The programme is geared at reducing AIDS-related morbidity by providing effective biomedical and supporting services and reducing new HIV infections among key populations through behavioural and structural interventions. Details of the project are outlined in the 2023/2024 Estimates of Expenditure,...

Measures to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Jamaica have been boosted through an allocation of more than $2 billion. The allocation is provided in the 2023/2024 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The funds earmarked will go towards initiatives under the ‘Prevention and Care Management of NCDs’, which includes commencing construction works at the Spanish Town Hospital...

The Port Antonio Health Centre in Portland has been upgraded to a “smart” facility, equipped to withstand climate-related events such as strong winds, flooding and earthquakes. Improvement work was done under the US$6.5million Caribbean-wide Smart Health Project, funded through the United Kingdom (UK) Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with support from the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO). Addressing the handover ceremony...