The entrance to the Annotto Bay Hospital.
ST MARY, Jamaica — People’s National Party (PNP) representatives are calling for an “honest and immediate examination” of the needs at the Annotto Bay Hospital, as well as a solid, actionable plan for improvement following a visit which they say highlighted serious shortfalls.
Christopher Brown, candidate for Member of Parliament for St Mary South East, said: “Based on what we saw, I can’t help but highlight that what we have been seeing so far is governing by announcement, governing by cutting ribbons, while behind the scenes, the people are actually struggling.”
“What was clear from today’s visit is that the hospital faces firstly a human resource crisis with many of the critical roles unfilled; basic surgeries [are] not being done because of the shortage and absence of surgeons, which leads to the residents being placed on endless waiting lists.”
Brown visited the hospital recently alongside Dr Alfred Dawes, PNP spokesperson on Health and Wellness, and Councillor Levan Freeman.
The tour included a meeting with the Senior Medical Officer, Dr Glenton Strachn who provided a first-hand account of the hospital’s ongoing challenges.
Strachn shared the difficulties in staffing, noting, “In fact, we have three surgery posts that are unfilled at the moment.”
“What is also clear is that the hospital has been upgraded to a Type B facility with the usual grand announcement without the critical supporting infrastructure to make it effective. Some wards are overpopulated, while critical equipment is old and or frequently broken down, while the operating theatre is often out of service as well, immediate attention is needed here,” Brown stressed.
Dawes expressed deep concern over the hospital’s current state, calling for a comprehensive plan to restore it to its former excellence.
“We took a general tour of the hospital, assessing both the services provided and the deficiencies they are encountering,” he said. “We need to go back to where Annotto Bay Hospital was before and build on that to make it a model for hospitals across the country—centres of excellence with diverse specialities. This is just the starting point.”