Top marks for health workers

Philip Hamilton, Gleaner Writer

Officials in the country's health sector are expressing satisfaction with how the system performed when it was placed under immense pressure last week.

Several hospitals in the Corporate Area — already reeling from reduced budgets — appear to have survived despite increased burden on the facilities during the almost week-long gun battle in west Kingston.

An obviously satisfied chief medical officer in the Ministry of Health, Dr Sheila Campbell-Forrester, reported that health professionals performed outstandingly during the period.

Dr Campbell-Forrester noted that a significant number of persons treated at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), the island's largest trauma centre, as well as the University Hospital of the West Indies last week had gunshot wounds.

Wounds treated

According to Dr Campbell-Forrester, between Saturday, May 22, and Wednesday, May 26, approximately 106 gunshot wounds were treated at the KPH.

"Most of our hospitals saw only emergencies as the other services were scaled down." said Dr Campbell-Forrester.

She added that the occupancy level at the KPH was 68 per cent during the week with the Accident and Emergency Unit accounting for the bulk of patient admissions.

With gunshots ringing in the vicinity of the Kingston Public and adjoining Victoria Jubilee Hospital staff turnout was significantly reduced.

This resulted in medical personnel and other staff at the hospital working triple shifts and sometimes more.

Medical technologists responsible for crucial laboratory tests at both facilities worked 48-hour shifts as gun battles raged around them.

Dr Campbell-Forrester noted that alternative arrangements had been made with University and Andrews Memorial Hospitals, to provide antenatal services for pregnant women who could not make it to the VJH.

"We had to provide the critical services as we could not forget that there were going to be other persons in need of emergency services such as asthmatics, children with diarrhoea, and surgical care," the chief medical officer told The Gleaner.

She noted that the number of personnel at the KPH and other hospitals started to improve last Wednesday as more persons ventured out with a gradual return to normality in the Corporate Area.

Dr Campbell-Forrester said the Spanish Town, and St Josephs' Hospitals, as well as the Bustamante Hospital For Children offered full service during last week.

At the Spanish Town Hospital's Accident and Emergency Department, there was a 60 per cent turnout of doctors and 70 per cent nurses.