Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Hon. Krystal Lee, says the Government remains steadfast in its commitment to improving maternal and newborn care to safeguard women and their babies.

“We recognise the immense burden of risk women are exposed to when receiving care during childbirth and those faced by newborn babies in the first few weeks of their lives. It is our desire to ensure the best service in maternal and newborn care and to improve outcomes,” she said.

Miss Lee was speaking at the handover of a new neonatal manual and maternal health (emergency obstetrics) protocols, at the Spanish Town Hospital in St. Catherine on February 16.

The documents aim to raise the standard of care across public health facilities, marking a significant step in Jamaica’s commitment to improving maternal and newborn health outcomes, in keeping with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Miss Lee noted that the protocols and manual are about standardising best practices, reducing variation in care and providing health teams with clear, evidence-based guidelines.

“We’re not just here to hand over paper. Today’s ceremony takes place against the backdrop of more women seeking care during pregnancy as the Ministry strengthens measures to reduce preventable maternal and neonatal deaths. Access is improving; we are bringing access to more primary care; we are bringing access to more hospitals; more hospitals are becoming more baby-friendly in secondary care,” she pointed out.

Development of the obstetric protocols was born out of a desire to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality in Jamaica by addressing the primary contributors.

Among other things, they cover the management of common obstetric conditions such as postpartum haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and cardiac disease which may impact maternal morbidity and mortality.

The neonatal manual sets baseline standards for care across public health hospitals so that every neonate admitted will receive consistent evidence-based treatment.

“The aim is to provide clear, practical guidance for the medical, nursing and allied health professionals assigned to neonatal units across the entire island. This manual will strengthen quality of care by standardising clinical practice across neonatal units,” Miss Lee noted.

The State Minister said that Jamaica is seeing a decrease in maternal deaths, noting that in 2024, the island recorded a preliminary maternal mortality ratio of 133 per 100,000 live births, reflecting a sustained decline from 211.3 per 100,000 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

“We expect the decrease of maternal deaths to continue, especially the fact that we are now going to be implementing our guidelines and continue to push,” she pointed out.
Miss Lee said that the progress being made is not accidental, as it reflects stronger governance, clearer guidelines and consistent implementation of standards across the country at all levels.

She said that there has been a marked improvement in the proportion of women who seek antenatal care in their first trimester.