Go to other hospitals if you can - CRH official advises patients
Published:Tuesday | April 3, 2018 | 12:00 AMJanet Silvera/Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Clinical Coordinator at Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH), Dr Delroy Fray, is advising patients who can avoid coming to the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay to seek treatment elsewhere.
Fray, a former senior medical officer of the facility, who only recently came out of retirement to assist with the problems that have been plaguing the 400-bed hospital over the past year, said, "The situation has worsened.
"I would certainly advise patients to seek care at the Falmouth Hospital, the Noel Holmes, and the Savanna-la-Mar hospitals," Fray told reporters yesterday.
"The services here have been constricted to a limited number of beds, so I could not really in good faith tell persons to come here. Come here if you have a real emergency or an urgent case that cannot be facilitated at the hospitals I have mentioned," Fray advised.
FLOOR CLOSURES
Noxious fumes at CRH forced the closure of the first three floors and the relocation of several clinics and departments, including Accident and Emergency, over a year ago.
The problem, despite all the efforts that have been made by the Ministry of Health, including the transferring of critical health services to other areas, has worsened to the point where a number of interns and junior doctors, critical to the overall operations at the hospital, did not show up for work Tuesday morning.
"Over the past month, we have seen where the air quality, especially on the fourth floor, has worsened," he disclosed. "As we speak, we are making provision to move the Labour Ward to an area that we have found at the back of the hospital where it will be retrofitted [so] that we can continue to provide the service to our patients."
Fray also noted that the use of the operating theatres at the Falmouth Hospital has been very helpful in the accommodating of emergency situations, adding that despite the challenges, "We have been working round the clock to ensure our patients are being taken care of."
He commended the staff of the malfunctioning hospital for the level of professionalism they have demonstrated over the past year, noting that many times "these acts of sacrifice and dedication to work" often go unreported.
"I join with everyone who has been pointing out that the main focus is for the safety of patients and staff. We were, and have been, very careful to ensure that the relocation of services was done in as seamless a manner as possible," he added.