Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton says Jamaica’s investment in modern healthcare infrastructure must be matched by a renewed commitment to compassionate patient care, warning that improved facilities alone cannot guarantee better health outcomes.

Tufton made the point while addressing journalists following a tour of the new outpatient department under construction at May Pen Hospital in Clarendon on Wednesday, where he said the Government’s focus must now extend beyond expanding physical capacity, to improving the quality of interactions between healthcare providers and patients.

The minister said while infrastructure development is critical to strengthening the public health system, the attitude and approach of healthcare workers remain central to the patient experience.