Effective immediately, parents of children 12 years and younger can access free medical care at the
University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).

In a statement, the Ministry of Health and Wellness said the arrangement was in response to the increase in viral illnesses and resulting overcrowding at the Bustamante Hospital for Children, which is usually
seen this time of year.

“Children and the elderly are among the most vulnerable groups, especially at this time, as the flu and
gastroenteritis season intensifies,” the ministry said.

“Jamaicans are reminded to only take paracetamol and to visit the nearest health centre if symptoms do not improve.”

Earlier this month, the ministry urged the public to take measures to prevent gastroenteritis as it reported a higher number of reports for the illness and was investigating the case of a possible death related to the disease.

The ministry said its National Surveillance Unit had recorded an average visitation of 107 children under five weekly to health facilities across the island in 2022, compared to 31 such visits in 2021.

However, though the weekly 2022 figures for the stomach flu have been higher than they were last year, the ministry said at the time that this was not an unusual occurrence.