The establishment of an advanced specialized modern burn unit at the University Hospital of the West Indies is part of government’s plans to upgrade the facility in the coming months.

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton noted that while some hospitals in the country have burn units, these units are not able to provide a certain level of care for severe burn victims.

The issue has often resulted in burn victims having to seek treatment overseas.

In a bid to address this shortfall, Petrojam partnered with the UHWI to spearhead a fundraising initiative, to support the setting up of Jamaica’s first comprehensive specialized facility that will provide world-class burn care services.

Speaking at the fundraising launch ceremony on Tuesday, Dr. Tufton commended the UHWI and Petrojam for partnering on the project.

Noting that some one thousand burn victims are treated each year, Dr. Tufton stressed that having an advanced burn unit, at the UHWI is necessary to save lives.

He noted that the modern burn unit will complement the 40 million u-s dollar expansion project, for the UHWI.