Ministries of Tourism and Health, JHTA Partnering to provide rooms for COVID-19 patients - Bartlett

KINGSTON, Jamaica; March 24, 2020: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has announced that his Ministry along with the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), will be partnering to provide rooms for COVID-19 patients, should the need arise.

“I am in discussions with my colleague Minister of Health and the president of the JHTA to identify suitable rooms in the event they may be required to deal with recovery cases with COVID-19. Right now it is all hands on deck and tourism stands ready to support in any way it can to mitigate against the impact of this pandemic,” said Minister Bartlett.

The COVID-09 pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on several countries globally. To date, there has been over 400 thousand cases with over 18 thousand deaths associated with the disease.

“Partnerships at the local, regional and global levels are critical at this stage to help manage this disease and this is just one such example,” added Minister Bartlett.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon Christopher Tufton has welcomed the initiative, which he says will help to ease the burden on the already limited public health resources.

Speaking on the response by the JHTA, President Omar Robinson said, “The JHTA has requested from our members with closed properties to enter into a partnership arrangement with the Ministry of Health & Wellness in the provision of rooms for quarantine/isolation purposes. We have also requested of our members to donate linens and other soft goods for use at hospitals, and isolation/quarantine rooms.”