Public hospitals reeling from junior doctors' sick-out

 

Jamaica's public hospitals are reeling from the sick-out involving junior doctors.

 

The Ministry of Health said routine operations at the institutions have been disrupted.

 

In a news release Thursday afternoon, the Ministry said regional health authorities have activated contingency plans which include the assignment of senior doctors to man various aspects of the operations of hospitals.

 

Priority is being given to emergency cases while appointments for some elective procedures are being rescheduled.

 

The junior doctors are protesting the non-renewal of the contracts of 147 of their colleagues.

 

The contracts expired at midnight after a meeting on Wednesday with the Jamaica Medical Doctors Association and regional health authorities ended without a resolution.

 

In an interview with Radio Jamaica News, the Medical Association of Jamaica confirmed that a number of its members, who are consultants, are manning critical areas of hospitals.

 

However, MAJ President Dr. Andrew Manning said the arrangement cannot continue much longer without the junior doctors, as there need to be "all hands on deck." 

 

"There's gonna be significant impact in terms of the surgical list, elective surgeries, clinics and the number of patients that we can admit to the hospital. We can only admit critical emergencies at this point in time. The doctors are needed, and in fact we hope that the government would able to accommodate the 147 doctors who are today without a job," he declared. 

 

 

 

It's being reported that less than 20 per cent of junior doctors employed to the Western Regional Health Authority showed up for work on Thursday.

 

Dr. Delroy Fray, Clinical Coordinator for the Health Authority, said this has resulted in the Cornwall Regional Hospital scaling back some services. 

 

"We have scaled down our clinic service today. We have scaled down our elective surgeries and our consultants are positioned in the Accident and Emergency area...to deal with any emergency that will require surgery," he explained.

 

Dr. Fray said it will be difficult for consultants to continue working beyond 24 hours.

 

He is hoping that the dispute with the doctors will be settled before Friday.

 

 

 

Minister of Health Dr. Christopher Tufton and members of his ministry's senior executive on Thursday evening met with the Jamaica Medical Doctors' Association to discuss the high rate of absenteeism among junior doctors in the public health system.

 

Stakeholders from the Regional Health Authorities also participated in the meeting.

 

In a media release, the ministry said only 47 per cent or 488 of the 1,036 junior doctors who should have reported to work on Thursday, did so. 

 

The Jamaica Medical Association has given no indication when the sick-out will end.

 

The JMDA on Thursday afternoon said the Health Ministry continues to disregard the Heads of Agreement by offering doctors six month and one year contracts.

 

The association views the offers as a tactic to bypass the negotiating table and is worried that the job security of its members is being eroded.

 

 

 

The Medical Association of Jamaica has said the doctors' protest could have implications for the COVID-19 vaccination blitz.

 

"It might not be known publicly but the junior doctors have been playing a critical role in the vaccine blitzes as well. So I think the authorities need to do what they have to do to ensure continued delivery of quality healthcare," MAJ President Dr. Andrew Manning urged. 

 

A vaccination blitz has been planned for this weekend, after Jamaica on Wednesday received 65,000 vaccine doses, donated by Mexico.