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EDITORIAL: Hospital maintenance poses health crisis
published: Monday | October 22, 2007
The Sunday Gleaner's exposé of the disgraceful state of public hospitals is a revelation of skewed priorities when political minds measure public problems.
Much of attention to the state of public health during the recent election campaign seemed to focus more on the cost of the service to potential voters - whether the greater benefits should go to a particular segment of persons or to all and sundry. The appeal was thereby invested with political potential.
Now that the political transition has happened, the nitty-gritty of public health conditions is there for all to see, justifying the promises of election manifestos.
Our investigating reporters have found that there is poor maintenance of existing facilities and a lack of equipment to make new facilities work.
There is a wry remainder of the promises preceding the ill-fated Cricket World Cup, which was to get upgraded sections of Falmouth Hospital. An accident and emergency unit built for the opening of the tournament in March this year is yet to be opened and equipped.
A similar unit to cost $52 million for the Spanish Town Hospital is still incomplete after more than a year; and the cost has increased more than 15 per cent.
The catalogue of woes is islandwide. For example, the May Pen Hospital is said to have been constructed on swampland. Thus, sections of the buildings are cracked, and poor drainage systems lead to the flooding of the operating theatre when it rains heavily. Was there no prior environmental assessment when such projects are carried out as is supposed to happen?
We are aware that public health policy in this and previous government administrations have adequately dealt with disease outbreaks. There have been justified claims about malaria eradication, for example, which have been tested in recent times.
The professionals who man these services are good enough to compare with other jurisdictions. The continued departure of our nurses overseas is a troubling reminder of this, as is their own press for better salaries.
But if the infrastructure in which they have to function is below professional standards, we should not be surprised when they reach for greener pastures.
The primary concern, however, is the service the health sector provides for the Jamaican population. Our own people deserve the best that high-quality professionals can deliver if up-to-date equipment is not only made available, but adequately serviced and maintained.
Some observers of the tourism sector, for example, have cited the potential for visitors who could come specifically for treatment in a milder climate if up-to-date facilities are available.
The new Jamaica Labour Party administration is at about mid-point of its first 100 days, so it has some time to signal that the course has really changed. The new ministers by now may have come to see the realities of what effective governance ought to be. Crime and violence remains intractable even as the leadership of the security forces - army and police - has changed.
This may challenge the confidence that is necessary for all sectors, private and public. It is vital that the health sector is rescued from the threat of ramshackle in both material infrastructure and professional status.
The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.
published: Monday | October 22, 2007
The Sunday Gleaner's exposé of the disgraceful state of public hospitals is a revelation of skewed priorities when political minds measure public problems.
Much of attention to the state of public health during the recent election campaign seemed to focus more on the cost of the service to potential voters - whether the greater benefits should go to a particular segment of persons or to all and sundry. The appeal was thereby invested with political potential.
Now that the political transition has happened, the nitty-gritty of public health conditions is there for all to see, justifying the promises of election manifestos.
Our investigating reporters have found that there is poor maintenance of existing facilities and a lack of equipment to make new facilities work.
There is a wry remainder of the promises preceding the ill-fated Cricket World Cup, which was to get upgraded sections of Falmouth Hospital. An accident and emergency unit built for the opening of the tournament in March this year is yet to be opened and equipped.
A similar unit to cost $52 million for the Spanish Town Hospital is still incomplete after more than a year; and the cost has increased more than 15 per cent.
The catalogue of woes is islandwide. For example, the May Pen Hospital is said to have been constructed on swampland. Thus, sections of the buildings are cracked, and poor drainage systems lead to the flooding of the operating theatre when it rains heavily. Was there no prior environmental assessment when such projects are carried out as is supposed to happen?
We are aware that public health policy in this and previous government administrations have adequately dealt with disease outbreaks. There have been justified claims about malaria eradication, for example, which have been tested in recent times.
The professionals who man these services are good enough to compare with other jurisdictions. The continued departure of our nurses overseas is a troubling reminder of this, as is their own press for better salaries.
But if the infrastructure in which they have to function is below professional standards, we should not be surprised when they reach for greener pastures.
The primary concern, however, is the service the health sector provides for the Jamaican population. Our own people deserve the best that high-quality professionals can deliver if up-to-date equipment is not only made available, but adequately serviced and maintained.
Some observers of the tourism sector, for example, have cited the potential for visitors who could come specifically for treatment in a milder climate if up-to-date facilities are available.
The new Jamaica Labour Party administration is at about mid-point of its first 100 days, so it has some time to signal that the course has really changed. The new ministers by now may have come to see the realities of what effective governance ought to be. Crime and violence remains intractable even as the leadership of the security forces - army and police - has changed.
This may challenge the confidence that is necessary for all sectors, private and public. It is vital that the health sector is rescued from the threat of ramshackle in both material infrastructure and professional status.
The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.
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