By Trudy Simpson, Staff ReporterA PLEA FOR help by the Spanish Town Hospital in St. Catherine did not fall on deaf ears yesterday as charity organisation Food for the Poor has donated over US$50,000 in medical and other supplies to the facility.
Nellian Slowley, public relations officer at Food for the Poor, said her organisation was moved by a public appeal from the hospital, which appeared in yesterday's Gleaner. More items will be given to the hospital today, she said.
Citing shortages resulting from a "severe cut in the budget," hospital chief executive officer (CEO), Pauline Reid asked the public for donations, revealing the hospital needed more beds, stretchers, sutures and gloves, medical and other supplies, to help it deal with the increase in casualty cases as a result of the recent upsurge in violence in Spanish Town.
The town remained tense but calm yesterday and a curfew, imposed on Wednesday, was extended.
MAY PEN HOSPITAL
But even as help goes to the medical facility, the May Pen Hospital is revealing that it is also in need of some supplies.
Lavern Palmer, CEO at the May Pen Hospital, said the facility needed items such as glaucometers, X-ray films and laboratory reagents used to test for illnesses. As a result of the shortages, some patients are being referred to private facilities. The CEO said some suppliers have cut the quantity of medical and other goods being supplied to hospitals while others have stopped altogether.
In addition, hospitals like
the Percy Junor Hospital in Manchester say they have been forced to cut back on the amount of supplies they order.
"With the limited resources we try to manage. Knowing the situation, we make the necessary adjustments. In terms of adjustments, instead of requesting a monthly supply of items, we would now request two weeks supply," said Stanhope Scott, CEO at that institution.
Owen Belvett, regional director for the north east health region, said that while there was currently no "abnormal situation" which would affect health care provision in hospitals in St. Ann, St. Mary and Portland, there was "an ongoing need for supplies."
