Ministry of Health & Wellness Intranet

KINGSTON, Jamaica. Thursday, May 8, 2025: Cases of chronic noncommunicable diseases including diabetes, hypertension, heart and kidney disease continue to plague local health facilities including two of the nation’s main institutions, University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) and Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), causing chronic overcrowding and ward bed space constraints.

A partnership with the St. Joseph’s Hospital is being discussed as a possible solution to manage the continuing overcrowding and improve service delivery at the facilities’ emergency departments.

The UHWI, for example, with its daily admission of some 120 to 150 patients for emergency care, is currently seeing excess numbers in its A&E Department, particularly for internal medicine patients.

The matter was among those identified for priority action during a tour of the UHWI on Monday (May 5) by Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, MP and members of the facility’s clinical leadership.

“The longer-term plan is to construct a new building here at the University Hospital of the West Indies. We’re well advanced with that. That will bring more bed space, more space for services, which hopefully will allow for a more efficient throughput,” Minister Tufton said.

The UHWI is a pillar of healthcare excellence not just to Jamaica, but across the Caribbean Region, playing its part in research, clinical instruction and health service delivery.

The need for redevelopment has been recognised given the demands of a growing population and the prevailing impact of chronic diseases on people of all ages.

Set for transformation, the hospital will see a total $4.9 billion in upgrades with construction of a six-storey, 120,000 square feet facility and an additional 40 surgical beds.

The phased implementation forms part of the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ secondary care reform for the upgrade of hospital services, expansion of facilities and human resources.