The need for Jamaica to seriously move towards medical tourism and explore the possibility of training health-care professionals for local and overseas vacancies were posited by Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips during his recent visit to the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital in Westmoreland.

The Opposition leader was on the second leg of his listening tour across the parish, when he made the stop at the health facility to see first-hand the state of the infrastructure and speak with hospital personnel.According to a release from the People’s National Party, the hospital administrators, in a meeting with Phillips, laid out the financial woes of the institution and the challenges it faces in serving the public.Dr Phillips reportedly told the administrators that it is of utmost importance that all is done to solve the problems facing the health sector as only when people can be guaranteed a reliable, efficient and high-quality service, can real growth be expected in the economy.He also reportedly stated that, with the quality of doctors and other medical personnel in Jamaica, it is not a far-flung idea for the country to seriously consider medical tourism as an option to spur growth and push the development of Jamaica. In fact, he said this is becoming a niche area in many jurisdictions as a serious economic earner with positive spin-offs and Jamaica should not be left behind.The wider-ranging discussion also noted the shortage of nurses to fully support the services at the hospital.According to the administrators, the facility is operating with 50 per cent of the nursing support it needs.Dr Phillips said it is full time the nation explore with those countries that engage Jamaica’s nurses, to see how “we can train these specialists to meet the demands of their markets while protecting our own level of health delivery”.As part of his Child Month outreach, Phillips stopped at the children’s ward where he led a team of donors who gave over a million dollars’ worth of much-needed medical supplies and toys to the children’s unit.The PNP said, joining Phillips in donating to the unit were Kurt Boothe of Medical Disposables and Supplies, who delivered medicine valued at over $1 million. T Geddes Grant and Answers for Children also joined in the contribution.