Jamaica’s public health system is set to receive a significant boost with the addition of 27 new operating theatres over the next two years, according to Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton.
Speaking during his contribution to the 2025/26 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, June 10, Dr. Tufton announced the expansion, which represents a 37 per cent increase in surgical theatre capacity.
“There’s a 37 per cent increase in new operating theatres over the next two years,” he said.
Currently, there are 73 operating theatres in Jamaica’s public health system, including 17 located at the University Hospital of the West Indies.
As part of the expansion plan, Cornwall Regional Hospital will receive 11 new operating theatres, while Spanish Town Hospital will see three additional theatres. Other hospitals set to benefit with one or one additional theatre include St. Ann’s Bay Hospital, May Pen Hospital, Chapelton Community Hospital, Noel Holmes Hospital, National Chest Hospital, Lionel Town Community Hospital, and Linstead Hospital. The Western Child and Adolescent Hospital is slated to receive four new theatres.
Dr. Tufton acknowledged persistent challenges with maintaining surgical theatre functionality, noting that “at any given time, approximately 20 per cent of operating theatres are down and, more often than not, unexpectedly so.”
He explained that these downtimes contribute to delays in elective surgeries, which are also frequently rescheduled due to unforeseen trauma cases.
“We need to ensure better maintenance of our operating theatres and do better scheduling for trauma cases. I have been assessing this issue with administrators and surgeons and as a result have instructed the regional health authorities to appoint an operating theatre manager at each hospital, whose responsibility it will be to ensure that best practice protocols are followed for scheduled maintenance and usage,” the Minister said.
Additionally, the health ministry is mandating the development and implementation of a revised policy for supplier servicing and inventory management to enable quicker repairs.
“A major pain point in this area is maintaining air quality through efficient ventilation systems. I have asked that all operating theatres have a backup ventilation system for when the main system goes down, either unexpectedly or for maintenance,” Dr. Tufton added.
The measures are part of a broader push to improve efficiency, reduce surgical backlogs, and strengthen Jamaica’s healthcare infrastructure.
