KINGSTON, Jamaica — With research suggesting that up to one in four Jamaican children are routinely “given” to the wrong father, with such children commonly referred to as “jackets”, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has noted that this practice is compounding the low fertility rate problem Jamaica is facing.

He also warned that it has serious health implications as it relates to family medical histories.

Tufton spoke to the matter in the House of Representatives on Tuesday during his contribution to the 2026-27 Sectoral Debate.

“Jamaica faces a striking demographic paradox: even as fertility has fallen well below replacement level, issues of paternity uncertainty remain widespread, with research suggesting roughly one in four cases may involve misattributed fatherhood,” Tufton told the House.

He added that, “Together, these dynamics point not just to fewer births, but to deeper challenges around trust, family formation, having and raising children.”

The minister outlined that, “For children, misattributed paternity can have lasting effects on identity formation, emotional security and family belonging. From a child health perspective, inaccurate paternal information compromises the reliability of family medical histories, an increasingly important input into clinical decision-making, while disruptions in paternal bonding may reduce emotional and financial support, increasing the likelihood of unstable caregiving environments.”

Tufton emphasised that the Government was not about to commit to any specific policies to address the problems but said, “We commit to engage, explore, educate and advocate in the interests of better families and communities.”

He noted that at the system level, these dynamics can place added strain on child maintenance frameworks, erode trust in family structures and contribute to conflict within households, with some studies noting an association between disclosure and elevated risks of domestic tension and violence (Bellis et al., 2005).

“Together, these findings support framing paternity discrepancy not only as a private or legal matter, but as a population-level issue with implications for mental health, child development and social stability,” said Tufton.

— Lynford Simpson