Jamaica doctors announces temporary strike action

In a press release issued Thursday, the association said it "cannot guarantee normalcy" between 8:00 a.m. on Friday, October 2, and 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 3, 2026. Only emergency services will be provided during the period.

"The public should prepare for longer wait times, scaled-back services and delays in the completion of procedures," the JMDA said, adding that it has activated the relevant protocols to minimize adverse outcomes.

At the heart of the dispute is the prolonged delay in the IDT's award on overtime rates. The association says its members have been working at the same overtime rates since 2021 — a situation its president, Dr. Jubilee Brown, described as "unacceptable."

"The JMDA calls upon the Industrial Disputes Tribunal to hand down its award without further delay," the release stated.

The announcement marks an escalation in the long-running standoff between the doctors' group and authorities over compensation, and it raises fresh concerns about the strain on the public health system, which has already faced repeated service disruptions in recent years.

Patients with non-urgent appointments and elective procedures are likely to be most affected. The association did not indicate whether further action would follow beyond the 24-hour window.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness, meanwhile has called for patience. 

In a press release Tuesday, the health ministry stated it “acknowledges the concerns of the Jamaica Medical Doctors’ Association (JMDA) regarding the delivery of a decision by the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) in relation to the dispute over overtime payments and related matters.”

It added that: “The Ministry is also awaiting the decision of the IDT, an independent statutory body established to determine and settle industrial disputes referred to it; and urges the continued patience of all parties, given the complexity of the matters under consideration by the tribunal.”

Regarding possible interruptions to healthcare service if an IDT decision is not handed down by Friday, October 2, the ministry has instructed its regional health agencies to “put in place measures to limit any possible impact on the patients who visit health facilities.”