Tufton: Jamaica equipped to treat most burn victims, despite calls for overseas care

Health and Wellness Minister Christopher Tufton has reiterated that Jamaica’s public health-care system is equipped to treat the majority of burn victims, pushing back against suggestions that patients must routinely seek care overseas.

Speaking Thursday at a press conference held at the Western Regional Health Authority’s Technical Office in Freeport, St James, Tufton said Jamaica treats burn injuries “almost every day” and manages more than 1,000 cases annually across its public facilities, including Cornwall Regional Hospital, Kingston Public Hospital, and the University Hospital of the West Indies.

His comments followed another public appeal this week for donations to airlift a burn victim to the United States for treatment. Tufton said while some severe cases may require overseas referral, local hospitals have demonstrated the capacity to stabilise and manage complex burn injuries.

“I’d like to dismiss the notion that Jamaica’s health system cannot treat burns, because we treat burns almost every day,” he said.

According to Tufton, the country’s public hospitals are staffed with skilled clinicians, including plastic surgeons and multidisciplinary teams, who provide care ranging from emergency stabilisation to reconstructive surgery. He emphasised that decisions about overseas referrals are based on clinical judgement.

“This approach ensures that resources are used efficiently while prioritising patient outcomes,” he said.

Jamaica does not currently have a dedicated specialised burn unit, a gap that Tufton acknowledged. Establishing such a facility would require specialised infrastructure, equipment and personnel, along with significant financial investment.

“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,” Tufton said. He also questioned whether the frequency of severe burn cases would justify the long-term operational costs compared to overseas referrals.

Previous efforts to develop a burn unit have involved partnerships between The University of the West Indies and corporate entities, including Petrojam. However, Tufton said funding to date has been insufficient.

“The challenge is that Petrojam… 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,” he said, adding that public enthusiasm around the initiative outpaced the actual financial commitment.

In late 2023, the estimated cost to construct a modern burn care facility at UHWI was put at approximately $260 million. Tufton said little progress has been made since the initial donation.

He also addressed what he described as perceptions that the Government is reluctant to support overseas treatment for burn victims.

“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,” he said, noting that compassionate grants are sometimes provided to patients requiring treatment abroad.

Tufton maintained that public appeals for overseas care should not create the impression that Jamaica lacks the capacity to manage burn injuries.

The issue resurfaced recently after a dispute in Westmoreland left a woman severely burned at a gas station. Thirty-year-old pump attendant Collate Swaby, of Old Road in Whithorn, has been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and aggravated assault in connection with the incident. She appeared in the Whithorn Court on Thursday, was granted bail in the sum of $350,000, and is scheduled to return to court on April 16.