Bailey

Dr. Alverston Bailey, president of the Medical Associationof Jamaica (MAJ), wants the abolition of hospital fees to be extended to the elderly and the disabled.

Just last month, the Government abolished health fees for children up to 18 years.

But while addressing the opening ceremony and public lecture of the association's symposium at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston on Thursday night, Dr. Bailey urged the Government to extend the same courtesies to the elderly.

"We anticipate that Government's removal of user fees for children using public health facilities will soon be extended to the elderly, the disabled and the mentally challenged," he said.

Government to consider

Dr. Bailey argued that there was the need for the Government to consider this, as it was difficult for elderly persons over 70 years old to get any health insurance.

The new health regime, which took effect on May 28, now see children up to age 18 being able to access free registration, surgery, diagnostic services (laboratory and X-ray), medication and hospital stay in all public facilities, except the University Hospital of the West Indies.

The MAJ president also urged the Government to allocate more money to the health budget.

"The health sector is underfunded," he said. "(Approximately) 4.4 per cent of the annual budget is woefully inadequate and we are working on the Minister (of Health) to raise it to 10 per cent."

While not directly responding to these suggestions, Health Minister Horace Dalley said the Government would be continuing with the modernisation of the health sector with the purchasing of new equipment for hospitals.

He said within the next couple of weeks, the Bustamante Hospital for Children would be getting new diagnostic equipment.