Tufton hits back at criticism about overcrowding at Savanna-la-Mar Hospital

 

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton has hit back at Savanna-la-Mar Mayor Bertel Moore after he complained about overcrowding at Savanna-la-Mar Hospital's Accident & Emergency ward in Westmoreland.

 

According to Mr. Moore, on a recent visit to the hospital, he broke down in tears when he saw the inadequate bed space at the facility and the unsuitable conditions under which the medical team is forced to work.

 

The bed space problem at the hospital is due to an increase in social cases and a surge in dengue and respiratory cases that have pushed the town's medical facility beyond its operational capacity.

 

In a post Tuesday to X, formerly Twitter, Dr. Tufton said he fully appreciates the mayor's empathy.

 

But he accused the mayor of failing to deliver on his promise of creating space for more than 35 social cases taking up beds at the hospital.

 

Speaking Tuesday on Radio Jamaica's Beyond the Headlines, Mr. Moore said the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation has made headway in creating more space at its infirmary to accommodate some of the social cases. While acknowledging that it was a "drop in the bucket", Mr. Moore said six spaces would be made available at the infirmary, freeing up that number of beds at the hospital. 

 

Dr. Suman Vemu, Senior Medical Officer at Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital, said the hospital has exceeded its bed capacity by 82 patients.

 

The hospital has 209 beds.

 

 

In the meantime, President of the Negril Chamber of Commerce, Elaine Allen-Bradley, wants the government to expeditiously expand the Negril Health Centre to reduce the burden on Savanna-la-Mar Hospital.

 

"We have been hearing that there is a plan to upgrade the Negril Health Centre...so that any minor cases could go there, and so they would have a doctor and they would have maybe one or two nurses. And if they don't have the money to work all night, they could work till 11 o'clock." 

 

Mrs. Allen-Bradley, who was also a guest Tuesday on Beyond the Headlines, said the Chamber of Commerce has raised $6 million to help with the expansion of the Negril Health Centre.