Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton said it’s anticipated that more public sector health workers will leave for better-paying jobs overseas.

He disclosed that since the pandemic began 2 years ago, more than 700 nurses have left for work in other countries.

The Health Minister was giving an update to parliament, yesterday March 10, exactly two years after the island recorded its first case of COVID-19, and one year since the country began administering the COVID-19 vaccine.

He noted that the country cannot cast a blind eye to the pre-existing gaps noting that the gaps are not only in the physical infrastructure and equipment.

Dr. Tufton said there are also issues with human resources in the health sector that must be addressed.

According to Dr. Tufton, over the past 24 months, the ministry has had a significant increase in its fiscal provision that has enabled it to make advances in the achievement of certain goals.

These include the establishment of 230 new posts for medical officers and over 1,400 posts for community health aides.

He added that the funding has allowed the ministry to make infrastructure available for health service delivery, with the construction of two wards at the St. Joseph’s and Falmouth hospitals.