FREEPORT, St James — Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton on Thursday reiterated that Jamaica’s health-care system is capable of treating most burn victims.

His comments come on the heels of yet another appeal, this week, for donations to cover the cost of flying a burn victim to the US for treatment. Tufton also made the point that efforts to set up a specialised burn unit on the island are ongoing.

“I’d like to dismiss the notion that Jamaica’s health system cannot treat burns, because we treat burns almost every day,” the minister said during a press conference at the conference room of the Western Regional Health Authority’s (WRHA) Technical Office in Freeport, St James.

He said each year more than 1,000 burn victims are treated at Jamaica’s public medical facilities including Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH), Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), and University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). These hospitals are staffed with skilled clinicians, plastic surgeons, and multidisciplinary teams who provide comprehensive care — from initial stabilisation to reconstructive surgery — Tufton argued.

He made the point that while severe burns require highly specialised care, local hospitals have proven their ability to successfully manage many complex cases. Tufton said the clinical teams exercise sound judgement in determining which patients can be treated locally and which require overseas referral.

This approach ensures that resources are used efficiently while prioritising patient outcomes, he explained.

Clinical coordinator for the WRHA Dr Delroy Fray explained that the most important aspect of treatment for a severely burnt victim is within the first 24 to 48 hours.

“The patients we have had at Cornwall and other parts of this country, if you look at the treatment they have had within the first 24 to 48 hours, which determines if you are going to survive — I’m speaking in general now — you’ll see that it is well done,” he told the press conference.

“Once we get a severe burn patient [at CRH], we mobilise one of our high-dependency units, which is like an intensive care unit, where the patient gets one-to-one doctor and nurse treatment within the first 24 to 48 hours and beyond to ensure proper survival,” Dr Fray explained.

“What goes on beyond 48 hours now is what the minister spoke about, which would happen in a specialised burn unit. And once you get the patient to that stage, it needs a lot of stuff,” he added.

The absence of a specialised burn unit in Jamaica is a recognised gap. Such a facility would require specific infrastructure, equipment, and personnel to treat the most severe burn injuries with the highest level of care. Establishing this unit is a complex and costly endeavour, requiring significant investment and collaboration across government, private sector, and community stakeholders.

“The limitations to establish a specialised burn unit are a function of the availability of the specialised personnel, and of course, the availability of the specialised infrastructure. And to some extent, too, the usage of the specialised infrastructure: How often you use it to justify the spend as opposed to recommending severe burns outside of the country,” stated Tufton.

Previous efforts, including partnerships between The University of the West Indies and corporate entities such as Petrojam, have laid important groundwork. However, funding limitations and resource constraints have slowed progress.

“The challenge is that Petrojam, as one of our corporate government entities, contributed a very small fraction of what is required to establish a burn unit. I don’t think it was five per cent of what the overall cost was. I think it may have been a misplaced posture to give an impression to suggest that the contribution towards a burn unit was sufficient to establish, or even move the process very far ahead in establishing, a burn unit,” stated Tufton.

“I say so without any malice or anything because I do believe that… good corporate advocacy is important as part of our democracy. There was a lot of fanfare around this Petrojam-supported burn unit; but the truth is, the fanfare was far greater in volume than the resources that were provided,” he added.

In late 2023, it was estimated that it would cost approximately $260 million to construct a modern, world-class burn care facility at UHWI.

“My understanding is that not much progress has been made from the time when that initial small donation was made and additional funding being available for that unit,” added the health minister.

He also used the media briefing to respond to what he said were comments that give an impression that the Government may be reluctant to support efforts to have a burn victim access care abroad.

“It does position the Government as lacking compassion as it relates to trying to save a life and that’s not so. The Government, when necessary, weighs in on these issues and provides support,” stated Tufton.

He said this is done through compassionate grants and support for patients requiring overseas treatment.

“But I think it’s important, with all the good intentions around giving support and external support, that we do not, in the process, give an impression that somehow we have no capacity at all to deal with burns. Because that would be inaccurate and that, in many instances, is based on the judgement of the clinician — not on the judgement of the policymaker,” argued Tufton.

The issue of a specialist burn unit resurfaced recently following a dispute in Westmoreland which led to a woman being set ablaze at a gas station. She was severely burned.

The 30-year-old pump attendant Collate Swaby, of Old Road in Whithorn, who was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and aggravated assault in connection with the incident made an appearance in the Whithorn Court on Thursday. She was granted bail in the sum of $350,000 and is booked to reappear in court on April 16.