The Government of Jamaica is moving to strengthen the upkeep of public health facilities with the introduction of a $1-billion Health Infrastructure Maintenance Fund aimed at reducing equipment failures and improving maintenance across hospitals and health centres islandwide.
Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton made the announcement Tuesday while delivering his contribution to the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.
According to Tufton, the new Health Infrastructure Maintenance Fund is intended to prevent the long-standing issue of deteriorating medical infrastructure caused by inadequate maintenance planning.
“We cannot continue building and upgrading facilities without ensuring they are properly maintained,” the minister stated as he outlined plans for a more organized and sustainable maintenance system within the public health sector.
The initiative will be financed through a designated portion of the national health budget and will support both scheduled and emergency repairs. Planned measures include inventory tracking systems, routine maintenance schedules, and outsourced technical oversight for critical services such as electrical systems, plumbing, air conditioning, HVAC operations, and elevators.
Tufton said the ministry also plans to introduce operational manuals, performance standards, and contractual guidelines to govern the maintenance programme.
Preparatory work has already begun under the Health Infrastructure Planning and Project Management Division. Former Western Regional Health Authority Regional Director St Andrade Sinclair has reportedly been reassigned to the ministry’s head office to help establish and oversee the new function.
The minister disclosed that approximately $1 billion has already been allocated in the current budget to support the initial phase of the programme, which is expected to operate as a pilot before a wider rollout next financial year.
Tufton emphasized that the Government’s objective is to reduce unexpected breakdowns and improve reliability across Jamaica’s healthcare system through consistent infrastructure management..
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