KINGSTON, Jamaica — Health Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton, has asked the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health to lead an immediate review of security arrangements at the island’s health facilities, in particular those that are vulnerable to incidents that could have traumatic and dire effects on health care workers.

Tufton, in a release from the ministry today, said he views with deep concern, the upsurge of reports of public health staff coming under undue pressure by rogues who seek to impose their will on the medical staff.

The review, he noted, is intended to examine internal security arrangements, the role of the police and counselling for affected staff members.

According to Tufton, “our health care professionals sometimes have the very arduous task of saving lives in very stressful environments. They do not need the additional pressure from those who could seek to disrupt the standard procedures at our facilities.”

He added that, “the medical staff should at all times be able to operate in environments where their training and expertise decide what are the appropriate measures to take in any given case and not any external influence.”

In directing that there should be a review, the health minister sought to make it clear that the security and safety of health care workers have always been a priority.

As such, he outlined that security expenditure has totalled $727,588,585.40 for the four regional health authorities (Southeast — $399,674,647.20; Southern —$119,489,065.20; Northeast — $99,423,969.00; and Western — $109,000,000.00).

The release did not state the period in which the expense was accrued.

There are additional costs that are associated with security infrastructure such as burglar bars, cameras and other electronic devices.

Also, as part of the review, Tufton has requested a meeting with the Police High Command, through the Minister of National Security, to discuss what further measures the police could implement at hospitals — particularly those in the most volatile areas.

The ministry’s tactical approach will be driven by regional data, which would include the areas of greatest need. The hospitals that are most impacted, according to the release, are: Kingston Public, Cornwall Regional, Savanna-La-Mar, Spanish Town and St Ann’s Bay.

Regional Trauma Data

Jan – Dec 2016

Stab wounds Gunshot wounds ____Motor Vehicle Accidents

SERHA 581 289 2939

NERHA 347 81 2492

SRHA 259 118 2485

WRHA 513 454 4249

Jan – April 2017

Stab wounds Gunshot wounds ____Motor Vehicle Accidents

SERHA 187 79 966

NERHA 98 14 890

SRHA 71 47 772

WRHA 156 137 1316

In addition to the unease about the threats directly faced by health care workers, medical staff can also suffer stress and trauma second hand, based on what they observe from their patients, the ministry noted.

Tufton is urging health care workers who may be traumatised to make use of the various counselling services that are available and accessible to staff. These services operate out of the Outpatient Department of general hospitals and in all Types 3 – 5 Health Centres across the country.