Missed Cornwall Regional Hospital deadlines compromising health services – Guy

The People’s National Party (PNP) is decrying the missed deadline for the completion of rehabilitation works at the Cornwall Regional Hospital,which it says is of grave concern.

Opposition Spokesperson on Health Dr Morais Guy argues that serious attention is not being given to the progress of the rehabilitation works.

“ Even though the Ministry claims that medical services are available, the dislocation and discomfort of the staff and patients remain troubling, especially in the midst of the unrelenting dengue epidemic across the island and the new cases of hand, foot and mouth disease in the western region,” Guy said in a statement today.

“The complaints from doctors, especially surgeons, who are now stressed by the travel between the Falmouth Hospital and CRH for surgeries, are worrying as the possibility of burnout may soon materialise, further compromising the already fragile health care system,” he continued.

He argued that the missed deadlines since the hospital closed for major repairs, and questioned the new shift which will now see a further extension from December 2019 to the end of 2020, dashing the hopes of the people in Western Jamaica for improved medical services in the New Year.

“This is unacceptable and the assurance given by the Ministry that the new facility will be better is cold comfort to the people who have had to endure hardships, cramped conditions and extended waiting hours to be seen at the facility during the ongoing health crisis,” Guy said.

“The major reason given for the delay is the onerous government procurement guidelines, but this is nonsensical. This is almost laughable as those in the system are fully aware of the procurement guidelines as well as the requirements and the planning necessary to mitigate this ‘onerous’ process,” he said.

He said further delay means greater costs which have already moved from $3.5 billion to $4.0 billion.

This, he said, could have been prevented by proactive measures which could have saved tax payers of another $500 million, which could be spent in other areas of the depressed health sector.

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