The new state-of-the-art neurosurgical drill at the Bustamante Hospital for Children is a major leap into modern medical technology, significantly improving the hospital’s capacity to perform critical brain or spinal procedures on young patients.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, got a first-hand look at the $31-million device, during a recent visit and tour of the hospital’s Arthur Wint Drive location.

He said the drill is a major technological upgrade, replacing a manual system that surgeons described as outdated and cumbersome. It eliminates the need for multiple standalone tools, integrating several functions into one unit and supporting procedures in neurosurgery, orthopedics, ear, nose and throat (ENT), craniofacial, and spinal surgery.

“So, basically… we have acquired a piece of equipment… that can be used to perform in four or five different surgical processes,” Dr Tufton noted. “Instead of having multiple sets of different things or, indeed, different drills, this one piece of machine with various attachments can be used for a number of things.”

Consultant Neurosurgeon at the Bustamante Hospital, Dr Charmaine Muthra, highlighted the benefits of the new, electric, high-speed device.

“In 2025, we were still using the equipment that Harvey Cushing, the father of neurosurgery, used. We were manually attaching perforators and manually drilling a hole in. Now we have a high-speed drill,” she informed.

Dr Muthra said that the device “allows us to carry out more procedures locally”, noting that patients were often referred overseas or had to wait for international medical missions.

In 2024, even with limited equipment, the hospital completed more than 140 neurosurgeries.

With the new drill, up to 50 per cent of all surgical procedures at the hospital could be positively impacted. The new neurosurgical drill represents a major step forward in modernising Jamaica’s healthcare system.

With the upgrade, Bustamante Hospital can now provide faster, more efficient care, ensuring better results for local paediatric patients and reducing the need for overseas referrals.