The level of health care in Jamaica is low and varies widely depending on the location of the area and population density. In the larger towns and tourist areas, medical personnel are highly qualified and there are well-equipped hospitals. In the suburbs, medical care is rather poor due to a lack of well-educated and qualified doctors.

General Information

All Jamaican hospitals charge fees, especially in terms of cost-effectiveness. The quality of medical services provided is very far from Europe, but the pricing policy year after year strives to match similar services in European countries, especially in private clinics.

Regarding medicine, there are no problems with pharmacies in the major cities and tourist centres. Most medicines are available with a doctor's prescription.

Medical care is available at both public and private clinics. Public medical facilities are often an extensive network of nearby clinics and hospitals in the major resorts and the capital city of Jamaica. The non-public sector is characterised by a small number of private clinics for wealthy and foreign patients in Jamaica.

Medical tourism in Jamaica has developed in recent years, and although many global companies are making sufficient effort to market world-class medical services, current medical tourism has more of a cosmetic aspect, it is strong. Many tourists seek post-traumatic rehabilitation and rarely receive medical services such as cardiac surgery, dentistry and orthopaedics.

What do I need to do to enter the country?

- A valid passport at the time of travel,

- A hotel reservation and a return ticket,

- A cash allowance of 50 USD per person for the duration of the stay. It is sufficient to show a credit card of the international Visa and MasterCard systems to prove your ability to pay in case of questions.

The best advice is to be friendly and not to be nervous. Jamaica is a country whose main income is tourism, so no one has a purpose to prevent or restrict you from entering the country.

Visa application procedure at the embassy

A visa is required if you are coming to Jamaica on a personal invitation or a business event. In this case, the visa fee is US$20 and the set of documents is standard and includes:

1. Passport

2. Visa application form

3. Letter of invitation notarized and translated into English

4. Health insurance

5. Hotel reservation or host address.

6. Round trip tickets.

Medical care in Jamaica is not free of charge. If you feel unwell, try to contact your representative immediately.

Medical Insurance

Medical insurance is mandatory. Under no circumstances should you neglect it. Nowadays it is often offered by airlines, and insurance is included in the ticket price. Note that the insurance amount should not be less than USD 30,000, as is the cost of very expensive emergency dental services in any country.

We also recommend that you keep receipts when you visit a hospital or health clinic and confirm your attendance. All these costs will be reimbursed upon arrival in your home country. Before you travel, it is advisable to write the emergency phone number on your insurance policy, and have the telephone number and address of your country's embassy, and your hotel business card with you.

Medical facilities are not as good in this country, but there are always doctors in tourist centres and hotels. There are large public and private clinics in Kingston and the staff speak English. If you need an interpreter, please contact your embassy.

Good clinics in Jamaica:

- https://jamaicahospital.org/ 

- https://baywestwellnesshospital.com/ 

- https://www.findyello.com/jamaica/medical-centres-clinics/ ‒ list of the best.