Dawes questions how gov't spent millions donated to health sector

 

Shadow Spokesperson on Health Dr. Alfred Dawes says the government must tell the country how it has spent millions of dollars in donations by the European Union and other agencies, to assist the struggling health sector.

 

Dr. Dawes made the demand while speaking at a People's National Party press conference on Wednesday. 

 

"The EU gave money then and the EU gave money again during COVID along with other Jamaican entities and individuals, and we are still left in a situation where there's a dire shortage of intensive care unit beds and high dependency unit beds for adults and neonates. So the stories that we are seeing are not unexpected because they reflect a systematic issue. And a big part of that systematic problem is that we have a maintenance issue and we have accountability issues," he argued. 

 

The PNP spokesman for health was speaking against the background of recent incidents in the health sector, including the death of a newborn, which is being blamed on the unavailability of a ventilator at May Pen Hospital in Clarendon and staff shortage at the nearby Mandeville Regional Hospital in Manchester.

 

In another incident, the family of a woman has complained that negligence led to her death at Falmouth Hospital in Trelawny. 

 

At the same time, Dr. Dawes has warned that there is a surge in the number of pregnant women dying on the island due to inadequate healthcare.

 

"The aims of the PROMAC programme to decrease maternal and child mortality rates have failed because of...maybe other incidents or other contributing factors. But the fact of the matter is that over the last eight years, we have seen a steady climb in the number of mothers dying during pregnancy and delivery."

 

He contended that both the maternal mortality rate as well as the neonatal mortality rate have risen over the years. 

 

"The maternal mortality rate is the highest it has been in over 30 years. The neonatal mortality rate is higher today than it was 20 years ago. The number of children under age five who are dying is higher than it was 20 years ago. So there are measurable consequences for the failure to implement and maintain an adequate healthcare system," Dr. Dawes insisted.