Wayne Chen - Gleaner file photo
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Wayne Chen, Chairman of the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA)
By Kimone Witter
Chairman of the Southern Regional Health Authority, Wayne Chen, has said he will be suggesting that health facilities be rehabilitated to be more climate resilient after suffering structural damage during the passage of Hurricane Beryl last week.
Mr. Chen said the country must not only build back better after the hurricane, but also stronger.
With the region hardest hit by the major storm, several health facilities lost their roofs.
The most damage was reported to facilities in St. Elizabeth.
Mr. Chen said the rebuilding from a hurricane in 2007, resulted in a health centre in Rocky Point, Clarendon keeping its roof this time around.
But he said other health centres in South Manchester and South East St. Elizabeth were severely affected by Hurricane Beryl last week, resulting in three facilities losing their roofs.
"Overtime, because we have to plan for the future...we'll be certainly looking at the health centres right across to make them more huricane resistant," he said while speaking Tuesday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106.
Mental impact on workers
In the meantime, Mr. Chen, who also serves as president of the Jamaica Employers' Federation, said the devastating impact of the hurricane on the country's breadbasket parish will result in a serious economic setback for Jamaica.
Thousands of Jamaicans in St. Elizabeth have been unable to go to work since last Wednesday due to flooded farms and roads, lack of water and electricity and disruption in telecommunication services.
Mr. Chen is concerned that the passage of the storm and its aftermath can contribute to mental breakdowns for employees.
He urged employers to "step up a few more notches to really embrace employees...because this is going to manifest again in the bottom line and in the sustainablility of your organisation because it directly impacts morale which in turn impacts productivity and sustainability," he asserted.
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