KINGSTON, Jamaica – During the upcoming legislative year, the Government will revise various pieces of health-related legislation for improved care, says Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen.

The governor-general, who was delivering the 2024/2025 Throne Speech in the House of Representatives Thursday, said this is key in the strengthening of the health sector.

Among the laws that will be revised are the Tobacco Control Bill, which will enable Jamaica to be in compliance with its obligations under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control of the World Health Organization; and the Food and Drugs (Amendment) Bill, for the “effective regulation of natural health products, including nutraceuticals”, the governor-general said.

Amendments will also be done to the Nurses and Midwives Act, and the Pharmacy Act, to “legalise” the role of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses and enable family nurse practitioners and mental health psychiatric nurse practitioners in government health centres, and the University Hospital of the West Indies, to prescribe a list of pharmaceuticals, he noted.

The governor-general said the Government is committed to the programme of prevention for non-communicable diseases and will continue its ‘Know Your Numbers’ campaign to provide 500,000 screening tests to the population.

“This is also being supported by the continuation of the Jamaica Moves Campaign in schools, communities and workplaces. As we seek to improve our productivity and expand service delivery, we must look closely at our human resources,” he said.

The governor-general noted that the Government has provided more than 2,500 posts for physicians to expand primary healthcare, increase service quality, as well as eliminate employment by contract and provide better working arrangements.

With ground broken for the redevelopment of the Spanish Town Hospital, the governor-general said other hospitals and health centres are also being undertaken with the St Jago Park and Greater Portmore Health Centres being upgraded to Comprehensive Health Centres, and the May Pen and St Ann’s Bay Hospitals to Regional Hospitals.

-JIS