The Medical Tourism Industry and Its Future in Jamaica

WASHINGTON DC – Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson, has unveiled a bold vision to harness the expertise and capital of Jamaica’s diaspora doctors in building a world-class medical tourism industry that could generate over US$1.8 billion annually.

Not a career diplomat schooled in cocktail-circuit pleasantries. Not a healthcare bureaucrat fluent in policy white papers. But, Major General Anderson (Retd.), the man who commanded Jamaica’s military, overhauled its police force, and whispered strategy into the Prime Minister’s ear, now tasked with perhaps his most audacious mission yet: convincing diaspora doctors that their exodus from Jamaica wasn’t abandonment, but preparation.

Standing before a room packed with Jamaican professionals including educators, doctors, lawyers, engineers and other diaspora-based professionals, Anderson delivered an unconventional diplomatic pitch to the doctors in particular.

Speaking at a reception hosted in his honour by the RalRosa Foundation in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., on October 1, Ambassador Anderson challenged Jamaican medical professionals in the United States to see their migration not as abandonment, but as preparation for a new phase of national service through investment and collaboration.

“If I was going to get sick, here’s the place to do it,” Anderson joked to a room filled with doctors, educators, and other professionals. Then, in a tone that shifted from humour to urgency, he added: “Imagine if those same skills and expertise could generate billions while fixing the very healthcare system you left behind.”

From Brain Drain to Economic Gain

The Ambassador’s call is grounded in lessons drawn from his study of Turkey and Thailand, two countries that have successfully turned their health sectors into global medical tourism destinations. Turkey alone earns over US$1.8 billion each year from patients, many from the United States, who travel abroad for affordable, high-quality treatment.

“Those countries didn’t just build facilities for foreigners,” Anderson explained. “Their investments lifted the quality of care for everyone. Jamaica can do the same.”

He noted that Jamaica’s geographic proximity to the United States, English-speaking workforce, and pool of diaspora physicians provide a natural competitive advantage.

A New Investment Model

Ambassador Anderson’s proposal reimagines the role of diaspora healthcare professionals. Rather than competing with U.S. hospital salaries, Jamaica would offer them equity partnerships in medical tourism facilities, allowing rotational practice and knowledge transfer without requiring full relocation.

He stated his intention to enter discussion with Health and Wellness Minister Dr. The Honourable Christopher Tufton to establish the necessary regulatory framework, including international accreditation, malpractice protections, and investment incentives.

“When supply meets demand, it’s no longer a problem, it’s an industry,” Anderson told the audience. “We can transform our brain drain into a business model that strengthens the healthcare system at home.”

Funding the Public Health System

At the heart of the Ambassador’s vision is a plan to channel private-sector earnings from medical tourism into Jamaica’s public healthcare system, creating a self-sustaining cycle of improvement.

“Can you imagine if Minister Tufton had an inflow of private healthcare revenue to reinvest in public hospitals?” Anderson asked. “That’s how we turn a challenge into a solution.”

The approach, he said, would create “a virtuous circle”, international earnings raise local standards, which in turn attract more patients and practitioners, including diaspora doctors seeking meaningful engagement with their homeland.

 Honouring Diaspora Philanthropy

Ambassador Anderson’s remarks also paid tribute to the RalRosa Foundation, whose work he described as “a lighthouse of love.” Named after Keith Ralston and Phyllis Rosa Watson, the foundation has adopted the Golden Spring Health Centre in St. Andrew, providing vital diagnostic equipment and committing J$3 million over three years to improve services.

“Keith Ralston and Phyllis Rosa Watson planted seeds of service that have grown into this magnificent tree under which we gather tonight,” Anderson said. “Let us water it with our commitment and ensure its branches provide shade for generations of Jamaicans yet unborn.”

Dr. Jacqueline Watson, President of the Foundation, announced that the organization will extend its adoption of the Golden Spring Health Centre for another three years, continuing its mission to uplift healthcare in underserved communities.

A Call to Action

With characteristic military clarity, the Ambassador urged Jamaican professionals abroad to seize the opportunity before foreign investors do.

“Non-Jamaicans already see the potential,” he warned. “I’m saying to us, get in on the ground floor.”

For Anderson, Jamaica’s medical tourism ambition is not only about attracting foreign patients, but about re-enlisting its diaspora in the national project of transformation.

“Every dollar doesn’t just buy equipment, it purchases hope,” he concluded. “Together, we can turn charitable intention into sustainable solutions.”