MINISTER of Health Rudyard Spencer says the high levels of absenteeism by nurses has caused a severe strain on the nation's health sector.

Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Health in downtown Kingston today, Spencer said several measures had been implemented to ease the crisis.

He said only emergency cases were being handled by medical staff while non-critcal patients have been discharged. Spencer said elective surgeries had been cancelled and senior nurses were manning critical areas of hospital operations.

"The Ministry of Health has an obligation to the people of Jamaica to provide health care that is accessible. We intend to do everything to ensure that we fulfill this obligation to the people of Jamaica, particularly those who area sick and poor and have no choice but to use public health facilities," he said.

Spencer said the Victoria Jubilee, Port Maria, Port Antonio, St Ann's Bay, Mandeville and Linstead hospitals were all affected by the nurses absence.