Faith Partners Invest $32 Million in Maternal and Neonatal Upgrades at Victoria Jubilee Hospital

Two faith-based organisations have pooled resources in a bid to improve Jamaica's maternal mortality outcomes, directing $32 million toward upgraded healthcare infrastructure at Victoria Jubilee Hospital. Officials at the handover ceremony framed the effort as a national responsibility.

Food for the Poor Jamaica and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints led the project, presenting 13 cardiotocography machines and one advanced ultrasound unit to the hospital's maternal and neonatal unit.

Cardiotocography equipment tracks an unborn child's heartbeat alongside a mother's contractions throughout pregnancy. That monitoring helps clinicians spot complications early, before they escalate into life-threatening emergencies.

Elder Paul Sutherland, speaking on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said the gift followed a site visit during which the group noticed serious shortfalls in the tools available to front-line staff and decided to act.

State Minister in the Ministry of Health and Wellness Krystal Lee, who attended the ceremony for the ministry, reported that Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton had asked her to give particular focus to the condition of maternal health across the country. She linked the donation to a wider government drive to lower maternal death rates, noting that the ministry aims to record tangible gains within the next 12 months.