By Claudine Housen, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
AFTER EXPERIENCING difficulties clearing their medical supplies, visiting dentists who are in the island to provide free dental care to inner-city communities, yesterday called on the Government for assistance in the speedy release of their supplies.
"We would like help from the Government to clear all the items that we bring into the country," said Dr. Pradeep Bekal, a visiting dental surgeon from Dayton, Ohio, who heads the Flanker Dental Team. "At least all the products like antibiotic pain medication. If they would be able to clear it faster from Customs, we would be able to provide a better service for the people coming into the clinic."
Dr. Bekal, who was speaking with The Gleaner in between attending to patients at the Flanker Health Centre in Flanker, Montego Bay, explained that this was his fourth year of volunteering in the Montego Bay Rotary Club Dental Clinic. He said that while it has never been smooth sailing for his team, this was the first time that their dental supplies have been held up.
HELD ALL ITEMS
"We've had a certain degree of problems but this is the first time they have actually held all items there," he said. "We would like help from Government agencies to clear them."
When contacted by The Gleaner, representatives of the Jamaica Customs Department said that while they always try to assist, "With things like medication we cannot cut corners.
"There is a procedure, medication can't be brought into the island like that, they need a permit," said Deloree Chambers, deputy of operations for the head office. "These things should have been worked out before they got here. They need a Ministry of Health permit. Somebody from the Rotary Club needs to speak to the Collector in Montego Bay, Ms. Patricia Buchanan."
Efforts by The Gleaner to reach Ms. Buchanan failed as she was said to have left for the day.
Dr. Bekal is one of a group of 30 volunteers made up of doctors, dental students and assistants, who arrived in Jamaica on Monday, July 26. The team is scheduled to visit a number of inner-city communities during its three-week stay. So far they have visited the communities of Flanker and Mount Carey in St. James. The team moves to Mandeville, Manchester, next week.
