The Government of Jamaica, through the Ministry of Health & Wellness, has awarded 143 Jamaicans with the Dr. Barry Wint Memorial Scholarship to pursue studies in various public health-related disciplines.
The awards represent a commitment of more than J$195M and marks the third cohort of recipients under the scholarship programme, established in 2024 as part of Government’s strategic investment in strengthening Jamaica’s healthcare workforce.
The 2026 scholarship focused on persons pursuing studies including Nursing Education, Clinical Medical Physics, Environmental Health, Health information and Records Management, Speech and Language Therapy, among other health-related fields.
During the 2026 award ceremony held on Friday, (August 28), Minister of Health & Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, CD, MP said the scholarship programme is a strategic investment in addressing Jamaica’s human resource needs within the health sector. “As our healthcare system expands and modernises, the demand for highly trained professionals continues to grow. We continue to face shortages in specialist nurses, specialist doctors, and allied health professionals, particularly in critical areas such as critical care, oncology, psychiatry, accident and emergency services, and nephrology.”
“That is why this scholarship programme is important as it continues to represent strategic investments in the development of Jamaica’s healthcare system,” the Minister said.
Dr. Tufton also noted that this investment in human resources must complement the Government’s ongoing development of healthcare infrastructure, including the transformation of the Spanish Town Hospital, completion of the Cornwall Regional Hospital, opening of the Western Child and Adolescent Hospital, and significant upgrades to hospitals and health centres across the island.
“These investments must be matched by a skilled, sustainable, and resilient workforce capable of meeting the evolving health needs of our population. This is why today’s scholarship recipients are so important. You represent not only the future beneficiaries of these opportunities, but the future professionals who will staff these facilities, strengthen healthcare delivery, and help ensure that every Jamaican has access to quality care when and where it is needed,” added Dr. Tufton.
The Dr. Barry Wint Memorial Scholarship Programme, named in honour of a former Chief Medical Officer, forms part of Government’s efforts to develop the human resources necessary to support the country’s health system. The first cohort saw 600 persons received a commitment of approximately J$400 million, while the second cohort, awarded in 2025, comprised 151 awardees at an investment of J$281,098,816.
By 2028, the scholarship programme is to see the addition of 56 nurses; 10 midwives; and nine social workers trained to serve the public health system. By 2029, the programme is to see the addition of 134 doctors and 42 dentists.