KINGSTON, Jamaica— Shadow Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Morais Guy, has called on the Minister of Health and Wellness to bring an end to what he described as “the absolute negligence that has caused the current crisis within the health sector”.

Guy stated that the latest development resulted from the lack of seriousness attached to the situation by the ministry, and said he is genuinely concerned about the long-term effects on the ailing health care system.  He said meetings had been held, but no resolution arrived because of a lack of appreciation of the position taken by the medical workers.

The Opposition Spokesman went on to explain that the employment contracts for over 140 doctors had been cancelled, and despite meetings as late as Wednesday, no serious effort was made to head off the current impasse, leaving a small cadre of consultants to operate the system.

“It is even more alarming considering that this would be allowed in the current environment of a national crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

Guy has called on the Minister of Health and Wellness and the Ministry of Finance to re-employ these doctors immediately because the country cannot afford what he said was a significant brain drain in the health sector.

He said the Jamaica Medical Doctors Association (JMDA) had indicated last week that trouble loomed in the sector. Still, he said, the situation was allowed to deteriorate with the withdrawal of services, leaving many institutions without critical care facilities.

Guy described the state of the Opposition as overly concerned about the level of services now being available to the public, which is already curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He added, “Whatever is the basis for the dispute, the MOHW must take full responsibility and bring an end to the wrangling and eliminate the threat of court action.”