Health Ministry Moves To Clear Backlog Of Elective Surgeries

An additional 1,000 surgeries will be conducted in the public health system over the next 10 months under a special initiative called ‘CODE CARE’.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr the Hon. Christopher Tufton, said that the intervention is aimed at clearing the backlog of elective surgeries in many hospitals due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) priorities.

“Since March 2020, many hospitals have had to suspend the normal processing of elective surgeries, which has resulted in the extension of the length of time that persons wait for these operations, sometimes up to two years,” he said.

The longest wait periods are for Cataract (ophthalmology), Oral Cancers, Sinus Cancers, Thyroid Cancers, Cholesteatomas (ENT,) Pterygium, Arthroplasty and Undescended Testis.

Dr. Tufton was making his contribution to the 2022/23 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on May 3.

He said that the Government will be working with healthcare professionals across the diaspora who visit Jamaica for special surgery sessions, to provide more efficient arrangements and access to hospital facilities and target elective surgeries with the longest wait.

“We will do this in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and our missions overseas as well as through our [Health Ministry’s] National Healthcare Enhancement Foundation,” he indicated.

In addition, approximately $300 million is to be provided to repair and where necessary, maintain operating theatres, so that they can perform more efficiently and for longer hours to drive more throughput.

The Ministry will also partner with private-sector health facilities to provide surgery and recovery spaces to augment existing facilities.

CODE CARE will be planned and executed by the office of the Chief Medical Officer.