Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Dr. Wright Pascoe

Claiming that free health care for children under 18 has resulted in a rush on the Bustamante Hospital for Children, the Medical Association of Jamaica (MAJ) has urged the Government to address the level of overcrowding at the facility.

At the same time, Dr. Rosemarie Wright-Pascoe, president of the MAJ, yesterday condemned the attack on a nurse, at the hospital, who was hit in the face with a chair by a parent in the Accident and Emergency Unit.

"We unequivocally condemn these incidents. We offer our sympathies to the nurse who was assaulted and to all other health workers who have been victims of violence from persons seeking health care," said Dr. Wright-Pascoe.

According to the MAJ president, such events have been taking place since the recent abolishment of user fees for children below age 18.

"It appears that this latter event has resulted in a rush on the accident and emergency departments of the secondary care institutions, such as the Bustamante Hospital for Children and the Cornwall Regional Hospital," said Dr. Wright Pascoe.

alarming increase in attendance

At the Bustamante hospital, there has been an alarming increase in the daily attendance rate at the A & E's from 100 plus to more than 600 children.

"This has resulted in cramped and overcrowded facilities and prolonged waiting time for as much as 12 to 24 hours in some instances," said the MAJ boss.

She said verbal abuse has been heaped on the heads of the hard working health staff and accusations of favouritism have been made where ill patients have been attended to before less ill persons.

She noted that patient care delivery has been compromised and the staff has become demoralised.

Dr. Wright-Pascoe said some changes were instituted to address this recent increase in A&E visits but have not been comprehensive enough.

She noted that the MAJ had made representation to the Ministry of Health last November to discuss its concerns on the increased attendance and had suggested some solutions to the problem.

These, she said included extending the opening hours of primary care clinics and improving the availability of drugs, supplies and laboratory facilities at these clinics.

"We hope that these solutions will now be executed urgently. We take this opportunity to caution the Ministry of Health that the problems being experienced now will be greater once universal unrestricted health care access is extended to all Adults in August 2008," the MAJ president said.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com