The Editor, Sir:

I very much appreciate the fact that the Government is assisting the people of this country with subsidised health care. Note, I do not use the word free since nothing in life is free. I have one major concern, however. We are being asked to make use of the primary health-care facilities to cut down on time and cost.

The Parks Road Health Centre in West Rural St Andrew, which served me as a child and countless others before me, has been closed for full service for more than a decade. The nearest health centre is Stony Hill and the closest hospital is in the city.

left to rot

I would love to know the real reason why this facility is closed and babies, mothers and the sick and infirm must travel all the way to Stony Hill or Kingston for treatment. The building is there, left to rot. From what I heard, a watchman is still employed to watch a building fall into disrepair.

The clinic is just below the primary and junior high school and where a child is injured at school, someone has to be paid to transport him to the city while there is a closed clinic in the area. Until recent times, the facility was opened at least twice each month for pregnant mothers and immunisation; even that service has been discontinued. It is time that our political representatives make representation to restore the health centre.

I am, etc.,

G. HENRY

almanh@cwjamaica.com

Parks Road, St Andrew

Via Go-Jamaica