The Southern Regional Health Authority says its hospitals have started to respond to several issues highlighted in an audit which showed critical shortages at its institutions.
The audit was done between May and June of this year.
The Health Authority supervises the Mandeville Regional Hospital and its satellite hospitals in Black River, May Pen, Lionel Town and other health facilities such as the Santa Cruz Centre of Excellence.
The Mandeville Regional Hospital one of the largest in the Southern Regional Health Authority, serves a population of just under 600,000 with a bed capacity of 220.
Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson ordered an audit of that institution and the referral hospitals it serves to identify shortages and make recommendations for improvements.
But the audit team says its efforts were limited by the fact that a standard outlining the requirements for the various health facilities was none existent.
Additionally, the audit team said the letter it got outlining a request for the audit was very vague, and the timeframe in which the audit was done was very short.
Despite that limitation, the audit team documented several concerns with health and safety, sundries as well as critical drugs and equipment at the institutions including wheelchairs and stretchers.
Amid those shortages adequate supplies of colour coded bags, cleaning and sterilising agents, sharp containers, kick buckets and toiletries were found at more than one institution in that region.
But the Mandeville Regional Hospital's operating theatre had an insufficient supply of caps and overshoes, goggles and face shields were not provided and it was not equipped with the correct hand washing faucet.
At May Pen Hospital,the shortages extended to the supply of critical drugs to the nursery, cots and incubators as well as cardiac monitors, suction machines and infusion pumps. So far, the audit says a response has been formulated.
The May Pen Hospital has developed a system to track the use of stocks including sundries and food items. It will be used as a guide to address similar concerns at the other hospitals and parish health departments in the Southern Regional Health Authority by the end of this year.
It said with an improved budget,it is already buying more drapes, linens and gowns and will continue to do so until adequate supplies are available at each facility.
It also said service contracts for major equipment and repairs have been renewed and minor repairs on buildings and equipment have commenced according to schedule.
Where personnel was the problem in improving the distribution and monitoring of stocks,changes have been made...and lines of credit with suppliers have improved to ensure supplies are not held back.
But it said the challenge with supply of some drugs from the National Health Fund persists with marginal improvement.
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