KINGSTON, Jamaica – Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton says the capacity of the public health system to respond to emergencies must take into consideration the growth of the tourism industry.
Tufton was responding to the latest travel advisory from the US government raising concern about the island’s ability to provide quality healthcare to American visitors.
Tufton told Radio Jamaica News that while he supports the promotion and expansion of tourism, there is need for dialogue about how visitors can more easily access medical care.
He acknowledged the limited resources in public health facilities, but said similar to locals, visitors are treated based on the triage system and added that the issue is complex and requires collaboration between ministries and other stakeholders.
“I think an advisory of the nature that was sent out – even though it is certainly the rights of the Americans to do it – does not fully appreciate the complexities and the issues that really needs to be addressed to address some of those immediate concerns. I think maybe, I am hoping that this advisory will trigger a more in-depth and complex conversation for better understanding and hopefully more follow-up action.”
Tufton said a health insurance tax on tourists could be used to fund the construction of much-needed infrastructure for public health.
“I know that each tourist that comes into the island pays a tax and that is recognised and that is what is used through Tourism Enhancement Fund to do spruce ups and so on. Unfortunately, very little of those resources go to providing critical, essential supporting infrastructure for the millions of visitors who land on our shores. I believe the time has come for a more serious conversation to take place,” he said.
