KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica government says it will establish a one billion-dollar health infrastructure maintenance fund (HIMF) amid ongoing complaints about the state of infrastructure in the health sector.
Dr. Christopher Tufton“We expect to use this financial year to complete the work for full roll-out next financial year, based on a free pilot this year. Approximately one billion dollars has been earmarked in this year’s budget for this new function. We must eliminate the unexpected breakdowns of our health facilities because we fail to plan,” Health and Wellness Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton, told Parliament.
“We cannot make the same mistake as in the past where we build infrastructure and not maintain it,” Tufton said as he made his contribution to the 2026-27 Sectoral Debate on Tuesday.
He told legislators that the creation of the HIMF is a “more systematic and structured approach to public health infrastructure” and that the fund will be financed through a percentage of the health budget dedicated to a process of routine and unexpected maintenance through a series of specific initiatives.
He said that this would involve establishing baseline inventory logging, establishing routine maintenance schedules and outsourcing the monitoring and maintenance of our health infrastructure, with a focus on mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and air conditioning or HVAC and elevator services.
“The intention is to develop operational manuals and a terms of reference and performance criteria with critical success factors and outsource the routine maintenance of these specific functions for our health facilities,” Tufton said, adding that the preparatory work has already commenced under the Health Infrastructure Planning and Project Management Division in the ministry.
Tufton also announced the establishment of a J$500-million Social Determinants of Health CARE Fund that will focus on 10 specific areas impacting health.
Tufton said it was being set up to provide support to community projects linked to strategies for the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The fund will operate for two years and will be managed by the health ministry’s Enabling Environment in Health and Client Services Division and will seek to work with community-based organisations, faith-based organisations, and other civil society groups to “increase health-seeking behaviour, improve and strengthen families to support vulnerable persons like the disabled and elderly, and promote prevention strategies for NCDs along the life course”.
Tufton cited several contributing factors to the rise in NCDs such as lower- than-expected vaccine coverage, childhood obesity, early initiation to sex, poor sexual practices, poor work life balance, mental illness, and poor elder care practices.
“These challenges exacerbate the economic realities of the Jamaican people and undermine the country’s ability to meet our shared vision for the future,” he said, adding that the ministry will publish a call for proposals on June 15, inviting organisations from across the island to participate in the collaboration aimed at managing the many societal risks.
“The ministry will also approach strategic entities to support the engagement of our communities and families, ensuring that we have the broadest and most engaged collaborative structure to meet the objectives that have been established.”
