Jamaica launches ageing and AI health committees

The twin committees, first signalled in his 2025 Sectoral Debate presentation, held their inaugural meetings this week. Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, Dr. Tufton outlined a vision that addresses both the intimate realities of ageing and the frontier possibilities of technology.

The newly established Ageing Policy Committee is tasked with developing “a comprehensive, evidence-based framework” for the care of older persons, grounded in the ministry’s life course approach.

“Its work will contribute to strengthening primary health care services for older persons across the health system,” Dr. Tufton said.

Chaired by Professor Denise Eldemire Shearer, a towering figure in gerontology, the committee brings together specialists from across disciplines. Members include Dr. Douladel Tyndale of the Mona Ageing and Wellness Centre, women’s health specialist Dr. Verna Reid, sociologist Ms Sandra Latibeaudiere, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer Mrs Jillian Mason-Quarrie, and Dr. Kemisha Shaw-Kelly from the ministry’s family health unit.

Two additional representatives are yet to be named from the National Council for Senior Citizens and the ministry’s Policy Planning and Development Division.

In a significant departure from traditional ageing policy, the Minister confirmed that the committee will also give attention to menopause and andropause.

“The perimenopausal period is one of those issues that affects the well-being and productivity of women,” Dr. Tufton stated. “More focus will be placed this year on exploring availability and access to holistic management in the public sector.”

He indicated that the first phase will prioritise knowledge transfer, equipping healthcare workers to educate patients during primary care visits.

Parallel to the ageing initiative, the minister activated the AI-TECH Council of Experts, a body charged with examining how artificial intelligence can be ethically and effectively deployed within Jamaica’s health system.

“Drawing on global evidence and Jamaica’s health-system realities, we have identified some areas which represent practical, high-value entry points and where we can have immediate impact,” Dr. Tufton said.

Those areas include community-based screening for non-communicable diseases, cancer early detection, support for an ageing population, health workforce augmentation, and public health surveillance.

The council’s membership reads like a who’s who of Caribbean tech-medicine thought leadership. It is chaired by Professor Rubin Pillay of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, with Dr. Stephen Johnson of UWI, Mona serving as vice-chair and secretariat.

Other members include Professors Lloyd Waller and Gunjan Mansingh (UWI, Mona); Professors Chad R. Ritch and Dr. Azizi Seixas (University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine); Dr. Carl Bruce (University Hospital of the West Indies); Dr. Maurice McNaughton (Mona School of Business); Miss Kadian Birch (MOHW); Dr. Dianne Campbell-Stennett (WRHA); ICT specialist Mr Rohan Smith; and digital health innovator Ms Danielle Mullings.

“The future requires us to carefully consider and prepare for what we do with AI in medicine, guided by science,” the minister emphasised.

Potential applications include cross-border treatment support — particularly in radiology — lifestyle-linked medical profile predictability, homecare monitoring for the chronically ill and elderly, and remote access to treatment.

Observers note that the parallel launch of both committees reflects a coherent policy architecture: recognising that Jamaica’s population is ageing, and that technology must be harnessed to meet that demographic shift sustainably.

With Professor Eldemire Shearer anchoring the ageing agenda and Professor Pillay steering the AI council, the Ministry has signalled its intention to ground both initiatives in rigorous scholarship while demanding practical, implementable outcomes.

The committees are expected to report within the calendar year.