Tufton mounts defence after Bustamante Hospital postpones child's surgery

By Racquel Porter    

 

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton was forced to defend his ministry's oversight of the Bustamante Hospital for Children after a child missed a critical surgery due to challenges with the operating theatre.

 

Hours after the Gleaner published a report on the issue, Dr. Tufton called a press briefing, informing the media that the University Hospital of the West Indies has consented to make an operating theatre, equipment and supporting staff available for the surgery to be done.

 

A timeline was not given for when the surgery will be conducted.

 

The issue is that a medical team from overseas - that was to have performed the surgery along with one of the country's senior most orthopaedic surgeons - leaves Jamaica on Friday. The head of the mission, Dr. Robert Bradley, said it is now too late for the team to take part in the surgery. 

 

Dr. Tufton said he did not call the media to the Bustamante Hospital to criticise the journalist or the media house, adding that the article offered interesting insight.

 

He said what was absent from the article is that the 11-year-old girl who was to undergo surgery to correct scoliosis, had additional complications. 

 

"So it's not just about an operating theatre issue and the length of time. It is apparently about pre-work that has to be done. So I leave her to comment on that, but as it relates to the facilities, they are available. And I do hope that all concerned, including the lead surgeon here, Dr. Saw and others, will agree and attempt to make this possible for the benefit of the patient," he said. 

 

Dr. Tufton also defended the government's stewardship of the health sector, telling the press briefing that under normal circumstances he would have addressed the issue behind the scenes.

 

But he said he believes some issues are best ventilated publicly to highlight some of the challenges his ministry faces in transitioning the health system from one where a culture of secrecy has developed over time.

 

The Gleaner article outlined that efforts to reach Senior Medical Officer at the Bustamate Hospital for Children Dr. Michelle-Ann Richards Dawson were unsuccessful as calls and texts to her phone went unanswered.

 

Noting that he regrets the lack of communication, Dr. Tufton said the issue places the hospital in a bad light, despite the fact that doctors there have performed 1,900 surgeries from January to September this year. 

 

"But I give everybody the benefit of the doubt. I'm giving the journalist the benefit of the doubt, the media house the benefit of the doubt, and the hospital the benefit of the doubt. Even though I will say that somewhere in there, something went awry because the way the information has been transmitted and the impression that has been given, unfortunately, it affects and to some extent undermines the confidence that hopefully exists with justification or should exist in our health system," he argued. 

 

Dr. Tufton said many good stories have come out of the medical mission that has carried out numerous surgeries in the said operating theatres being scrutinised for supposedly having "no AC, no proper equipment, and equipment not being sterilised". 

 

He said this characterisation is unfortunate, and may have been a mix up in communication. 

 

But according to Dr. Tufton, silence undermines the confidence in public health, stressing that personnel must speak with the media around clarifying issues because the government has nothing to hide.

 

Acknowledging that the health sector has a systemic problem with maintaining equipment, the minister said inadequate funding is not an issue, as the budget has increased from $60 billion to $140 billion in eight years.

 

Admitting that the hospital has been experiencing issues with its central air conditioning since April, Dr. Tufton said he fired the supplier after it was unable to rectify the issue, and has since contracted another company but the problem has still not been resolved.

 

Section chief at Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut and head of the mission, Dr. Robert Brady, who entered the room moments before the press briefing ended, said he made a request two months ago for the surgery and it was not met. 

 

"We knew that they (Bustamante Hospital) had an AC issue. We made the request to do the surgery at different hospitals and our request was ignored. And you can't make that request one day prior to us leaving and expect it to be granted. That's not reasonable."