Many Jamaicans, when they hear the word “Diaspora,” immediately think of remittances. In reality, the contribution of Jamaican nationals abroad extends over a variety of fields. One area in which the impact has been significant is in healthcare. It becomes more apparent during current COVID-19 epidemic.
There are presently about as many Jamaicans who live abroad as there are on the island. According to statistics from the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI), there are approximately 3 million people worldwide belonging to “the Jamaican diaspora.” The Jamaicans in this category live mostly in the US, Canada, the UK and theCayman Islands. According to CAPRI, the Diaspora’s economic importance to Jamaica was worth some US$4 billion in 2017.