Government Committed to Building Human Capital and Retaining Talent in the Health Sector

-Prime Minister outlines bold vision to establish Jamaica as a global training hub for healthcare professionals
“We have to create a system where we can leverage the talent that has been exported to come back to Jamaica and support our local healthcare system.”
– Prime Minister Holness
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Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Andrew Holness says the Government remains committed to strengthening Jamaica’s health sector through targeted investments in human capital and training capabilities.
The Prime Minister also noted that the Government will also address the pressing challenge of migration, particularly in the health sector.
Dr. Holness emphasized that improving healthcare delivery requires more than just infrastructure upgrades.
“We recognize that in the health system, we can improve the infrastructure, and we can improve the facilities. But to get the cure in health, we have to build the human capacity, and that is what today is about in the transformation exercise,” the Prime Minister stated.
As part of its strategy to bolster the health sector, the Government has introduced initiatives such as the Barry Witt Scholarships to train the next generation of healthcare professionals.
The first ever, Career and Employment Expo where 600 vacant posts throughout the Ministry and wider health sector were transparently advertised, is another step in the Government’s transformation agenda.
However, Prime Minister Holness said migration remains a significant challenge, with 800 nurses, including 40% specialists, leaving Jamaica’s healthcare system in 2023.
Dr. Holness acknowledged the impact of this talent drain.
However, the Prime Minister highlighted the Government’s proactive response.
“The issue of migration has an impact on our ability to grow. Jamaica, from our history, has always been a net exporter of talent. But we are not going to just lay down while all these changes are happening in the world as we lose our talent; we are going to push back.”
The Government is focusing on creating opportunities for healthcare workers abroad to return home by addressing factors beyond salaries, such as working conditions, quality of life, family security, and cultural connections.
“We have to create a system where we can leverage the talent that has been exported to come back to Jamaica and support our local healthcare system,” Dr. Holness noted.
Prime Minister Holness also outlined a bold vision to establish Jamaica as a global training hub for healthcare professionals.
“The foreign countries want our training. That is really the key. The strategy for human resource improvement is to invest in our training capabilities so that if they want people to get training, they can send people here to be trained, creating a training industry here in Jamaica.”
As the Government continues its transformation strategy, the Prime Minister assured the nation that building a resilient healthcare system is a top priority.
“It is not an easy world that we live in. But through initiatives like these, we are working to ensure that Jamaica stands on its own two feet, securing the future of our healthcare sector and our people.”
Prime Minister Holness was speaking on Wednesday (January 22) at the Health & Wellness Career Expo & Employment Fair at the University of the West Indies in St. Andrew.