Persons requiring eye care services will shortly be able to do so in Jamaica free of cost under an ophthalmology programme established by the Ministry of Health.
The government is to officially launch its Opthalmology Centre next Wednesday, January 27 at the St Josephs Hospital in St Andrew.
The centre was established as part of the Jamaica-Cuba Eye Care Programme.
The health minister, Rudyard Spencer told reporters at a press briefing this afternoon that patients will not be required to pay for the services.
The centre has the capacity to treat five thousand persons per year.
One third of that amount is expected to comprise other CARICOM nationals.
According to the health minister previously, the ministry was only able to transport approximately one thousand persons per year to seek treatment in Cuba.
Persons who receive treatment at the new centre will be able to access post operative care at the National Chest Hospital where a new 22 bed ward was recently opened.
He also said the cost to Jamaica for establishing and operating the ophthalmology centre is minimal.
