KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton says three hospitals will benefit from the development centres of excellence in areas of neurology, oncology, nephrology, cardiac and mental illness.

Tufton was speaking at the opening of the 18th Annual Caribbean Neurosciences Symposium being held at the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus in Kingston this morning.

“Neurology (brain) is among the five areas that present a challenge in Jamaica; the others being oncology (cancers); nephrology (renal/kidneys); cardiac (heart) and mental illness. We have a plan to develop centres of excellence in these areas at three hospitals,” Tufton said.

The health minister said the hospitals to benefit are St Joseph’s; the Cornwall Regional, where centres of excellence for oncology and nephrology are to be established; and the University Hospital of the West Indies, where the focus will be on neurology, cardiology and mental health.

“We are also making headway at the primary level and have developed the capacity for early detection through our islandwide neuro-development surveillance, which tracks, in babies at an early stage, any brain tumors, infection or genetic disorders,” Tufton said.

Other topics to be discussed during the symposium include Interventional Medicines and Emergencies, Trauma, Vascular, Oncology, Spine and Critical Care.

The symposium is being put on by The Caribbean Neurological Association in conjunction with the UWI Department of Surgery.