Repeal leprosy act - Spencer

HEALTH MINISTER Rudyard Spencer says the time has come for the repeal of the Leprosy Act of 1949.

Spencer, in piloting the health and allied professions and services miscellaneous penalty provisions bill in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, said Jamaica has virtually eliminated the disease.

"The prevalence of the disease is very low in Jamaica at less than one case per 10,000 for the population. It is therefore regarded as having achieved elimination status and is no longer a public health concern," the health minister said.

He noted that the review of the legislation indicates that it was mainly centred on the institu-tionalisation and treatment of persons in a Leprosarium.

Jamaica operated a leprosarium which was closed in the 1980s as advancements in medicine rendered victims non-infectious.

The House on Tuesday voted for amendments to aspects of the leprosy and other acts as Spencer argued the "penalties are outdated and are no longer a serious deterrent".

Bread and water

In the case of amendments to the leprosy act, the House has voted to remove the penalty of "only bread and water" for inmates who are held in solitary confinement by the medical superintendent.

The inmate, however, is still subject to the seven-day solitary confinement and is also subject to imprisonment, with or without hard labour, up to one month.

The House also voted for various increases to fines for persons who breached the Leprosy Act. For example, the 1949 act made provisions for persons who committed offences to be charged $100 if a penalty for the breach is not expressly prescribed. The House has voted for the fine for such offence to be increased to $500,000.

Meanwhile, some fines under the Mental Heath Act will be increased if the Senate supports the bill.

The penalty for persons employed in a psychiatric facility who ill-treats or wilfully neglects a patient who is suffering from a mental disorder and is under his custody or under his care and protection. The amendment moves the fine from $50,000 to $500,000.

The act has also been amended to reflect an increase in the charge for a person employed in a psychiatric facility who has been convicted of having sexual intercourse with mentally-ill patients. The fine for such an action is to move from $200,000 to $1 million.

The Senate is to review the amendments made by the Lower House.