Some 5,847 Jamaicans have been assessed for treatment since the reopening of the Jamaica/Cuba Eyecare Programme in September of last year.
The announcement was made by Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, on Tuesday while on a tour of the St Joseph’s Hospital facility in Kingston, which was recently refurbished and repaired to carry out both pre and post-operative care under the programme.
Of that number, 2,562 have been prepped for surgery, while 1,226 have been screened for their conditions.
Tufton said he is happy with the progress being made under the programme.
“I have not been able to visit the facility since its reopening, so I had to take this opportunity to come on the ground and hear from the team and patients. I am happy to report that we have completed more than 1,200 procedures, including laser treatments and surgeries. Unfortunately, some 200 persons who were prepped for surgeries could not do it because of various uncontrolled NCDs. So we will need to continue to work with those persons,” said the minister.
Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica, Fermin Gabriel Quinones, who was also on the visit, noted that it is important for these and other related initiatives to regain traction after the disruptions that were caused by COVID-19.
“It is a very important moment, and we are delighted to have visited and seen the progress happening at this facility. Our partnership with the health sector continues to bear fruit and we are happy that Jamaicans can benefit from the expertise and services under the programme,” said the ambassador.
The facility currently has a staff of 20 members, including three Jamaicans and 17 Cubans, with a lab technician, six ophthalmologists, a bio medical engineer and eight nurses in the mix.
Tufton extended courtesies to the staff at the facility and highlighted the need for more collaborations of this magnitude in the Jamaican health system.
“I want to thank both the teams from Cuba and Jamaica for their efforts in resolving eye-related issues, and I am confident that with this continued collaboration, we will be able to help many Jamaicans overcome their eye issues”, said Tufton.
