Dear Editor,

Recently, I wrote a letter to the Jamaica Observer complaining bitterly about the customer and medical service that I received from the Cornwall Regional Hospital. After the publication of my letter, I received a number of e-mails from some of my friends saying they found the service at the hospital poor and unbecoming of a Type 1 hospital serving western Jamaica.

A few days later, it was in the news that a woman died at the hospital after waiting for treatment for over nine hours. I felt so sorry when I heard her husband talking on the news about it. This is an indictment of the management and board of the hospital and a national disgrace.

Many people have been complaining on talk shows about the poor service they are receiving at this hospital and the long wait for doctors. Nine, ten hours waiting time at the massively overcrowded hospital clinic and emergency section are unacceptable.

Mr Robert Dalley also raised the hospital issue in the print media. As citizens of St James we must speak up about such matters. Separately, I would like to thank Mr Dalley for kindly assisting one of my young sons who had a major problem recently.

I do hope Minister of Health Dr Fenton Ferguson and Prime Minister Simpson Miller will look into conditions at Cornwall Regional and other hospitals having problems. Health care is paramount. We need a healthy nation.

Loraine Samuels

Mount Salem

St James

lorainesamuels@yahoo.com