Prominent neurosurgeon Dr Roger Hunter has condemned what he says is a recent “malicious and defamatory” television report pegging him as operating a medical facility at his St Andrew home.

The report, termed ‘Medical facility operating in a residential community’, quoted some residents as being upset with what they said was the operation of the facility in the upscale area by the prominent doctor. It further said residents of the community sent correspondence to the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation seeking its intervention in the matter and that the entity, in return, wrote a warning letter to Dr Hunter.

However , Dr Hunter, in a statement sent to the Jamaica Observer from attorney-at-law Vaughn Bignall, said the report was “littered with a catalogue of falsehoods.

“Here are the facts: I do not operate a public medical facility at my home, I only help family and friends who ask for assistance. I never charge for my professional service, as all my doctoral professional services are free of charge for all COVID cases,” Dr Hunter stated.

According to Dr Hunter, a consultant neurosurgeon, several individuals have placed desperate calls to him from public hospitals, including the University Hospital of the West Indies, in a bid to be transferred from wards at those institutions into his care.

“I have never taken anyone from a hospital. Sadly, several have died,” Dr Hunter said.

He further stated that contrary to the news report he has not received letters from the municipal corporation or his neighbours. The doctor, however, said two individuals whom he named, had indicated their disgruntlement to him.

In the meantime, Dr Hunter, who is part of a group of independent public health providers who have been pushing early home-based COVID-19 intervention, is contending that his actions are solely focused on saving lives during the pandemic.

“We have saved countless lives as government public facilities have collapsed with dangerous occupancies exceeding 100 per cent of people sleeping literally on the hospital floor etcetera,” he said.

According to Dr Hunter the “freely provided COVID-19 early treatment algorithm has directly benefited countless residents of Jamaica and outside Jamaica.

“Furthermore, several doctors in the government and in the independent public health sectors, they have called upon me for the algorithm and have applied it to their COVID challenge,” he added.

The consultant neurosurgeon has, in the meantime, called on the local authorities to fix what he said is a 40-foot long by four-foot deep segment of collapsed road at the top of Hibiscus Avenue, Barbican, the community in question.

“This has resulted in vehicles using the sidewalk as a vehicular pathway. This is a potentially deadly issue which alarmingly has not been addressed in over one year,” he stated.