The first three beneficiaries of the Ministry of Health's newest project, CODE CARE, underwent clinical procedures last week.
CODE CARE aims to further improve wait times for a wide range of elective surgeries, including those for cataracts as well as oral and sinus cancers.
In his sectoral presentation to Parliament in May, Health & Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton revealed that, since March 2020, many hospitals have had to suspend the normal processing of elective surgeries.
This has resulted in the extension of the length of time that people wait for these operations, sometimes up to two years.
The Minister is promising that the introduction of CODE CARE will ease that stress with a plan for an additional 1,000 surgeries over the next 10 months to clear up most, if not all, of the backlog.
Dr. Tufton says the project got off in a practical way last week in St. James.
He also revealed that he will shortly announce details concerning the arrival of an overseas medical team later this month to support local surgeons to clear up the backlog.
The Nurses Association of Jamaica had expressed some concern with the CODE CARE project.
NAJ president Patsy Edwards said her organization, like some medical doctors, feels it didn't appear practical to go that route.
However, Dr. Tufton insists the move is a win-win for the health sector.
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