The Ministry of Health & Wellness, in collaboration with the National Health Fund (NHF) and the National Housing Trust (NHT), on Friday (January 30) officially opened a 36-bed Parents’ Overnight Suite at the Bustamante Hospital for Children, marking a major advancement in family-centred paediatric care in Jamaica.

The official opening ceremony was attended by Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, PC, MP who delivered the keynote address, along with other government officials, representatives of partner agencies, healthcare professionals, and parents and caregivers.

The Overnight Suite is designed to provide safe, comfortable accommodation for parents and guardians whose children are admitted to Bustamante Hospital for Children, particularly those who travel from outside the Kingston and St. Andrew area. The facility supports the hospital’s recently launched Family Caregivers’ Programme, which allows registered parents and guardians to remain actively involved in their child’s care beyond regular visiting hours.

“For decades, the need for parents to remain close to their hospitalised children has been recognized as an essential part of paediatric care. Parents are not visitors in their child’s recovery, they are partners in it,” said Prime Minister Holness during his keynote address.

The 36-bed Overnight Suite represents a collaborative effort between the OPM, MOHW, NHF, and NHT, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening Jamaica’s health infrastructure and improving access to supportive services for families.

“The Overnight Suite complements the Family Caregivers’ Programme perfectly. It acknowledges the practical realities faced by families, especially those who journey long distances for specialised care at Bustamante Hospital for Children. By providing a space that supports caregivers, we are strengthening continuity of care and easing the emotional and physical strain that families often endure,” Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, CD, MP stated during his remarks.

Initiatives such as the overnight suite align with the Ministry’s broader vision of delivering healthcare that is not only clinically effective, but also compassionate and responsive to the needs of patients and their families.

Bustamante Hospital for Children, Jamaica’s premier paediatric institution, continues to lead in advancing child health services, and the Ministry has indicated that the success of this initiative will inform similar approaches at other healthcare facilities in the future.