Dear Editor,

We have a tendency as Jamaicans to castigate our civil servants when they don’t measure up to our expectations. Yet we rarely take the time to acknowledge when they use scarce resources to deliver excellent service in what could be described as, and I’m being generous here, not the ideal work environment.

On Friday May 31 I went fishing at one of my regular spots in Clarendon, accidentally stepped on a stingray, and it retaliated by driving its barbed stinger deep into my ankle. The pain was horrendous and the blood loss frightening. Some men who were in the area brought me to my vehicle, which one of them volunteered to drive. Chad Dawkins from the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation de-boarded his patrol boat and accompanied us to the Lionel Town Hospital. He stayed with me until my wife arrived. “Big up yuhself”, Chad.

I arrived at the hospital about 10:05 am in excruciating pain and was promptly met at the entrance by a porter with a wheelchair. I was wheeled into a room and promptly attended to by the doctor on duty and a team of nurses. I will refrain from calling names because I don’t remember all the names. The staff was excellent!! I felt comforted and reassured even though the pain was blinding. They were attentive and efficient. One nurse in particular has apparently seen several of these injuries before, she knew exactly what she was about.

The attendant doctor had the best personality I’d encountered in many moons!! She was pleasant and had no problem answering the many questions from me and my wife. Even when she finished her shift and was leaving, she came and had a chat with us. The doctor in whose care she left me was also more than a decent human. He was just as easy to talk to and accommodating of our queries. Let’s bear in mind that this health facility has its accident and emergency and outpatient departments sharing the same space. The place was abuzz with activity, yet the staff managed to keep order. Even the bathrooms were spotless.

Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton, I would urge you and the Southern Regional Health Authority to use the Lionel Town Hospital as a case study to see how best we can use how they stay motivated to go above and beyond the call of duty and have that model replicated nationally.

To the staff of the Lionel Town Hospital who were on duty between 10:00 am and 7:00 pm, my heartfelt gratitude to you. Thank you for your service. Keep being examples of what is good in our country. And to the Ministry of Health, please see how best this hospital can be expanded. I’m sure they would appreciate just having a real accident and emergency department.

Lee E Ashley

lee.ashley73@yahoo.com