KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) young professional arm, Generation 2000 (G2K) is refuting the suggestion by a People’s National Party (PNP) representative that Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton received preferential treatment at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).

Dr Tufton was injured on Sunday after he was reportedly hit off his bicycle by a motor vehicle driven by a popular dancehall artiste. It was initially reported that he suffered a broken wrist.

READ: Tufton breaks wrist in cycling accident, receiving treatment at hospital

However, in a G2K release on Monday, the group said the minister also suffered a broken leg, a hairline fracture on his nose and a wound on his forehead.

Pointing out that Dr Tufton got a hospital bed immediately after the bicycle accident, PNP representative for St James Southern Nekeisha Burchell hit out at what she argued was a double standard in the health care system.

“Unuh realise seh the Minister of Health fell off a bicycle and broke his wrist and two twos him deh inna comfortable bed a hospital. How many of you have relatives who’ve had to sit on hospital chair for days with serious conditions?” she asked PNP supporters at the party’s Knockpatrick divisional conference at May Day High on Sunday.

“The health minister bypass the chair. Them carry him go lay down inna hospital bed and people still sit down out a door pon chair a dead,” added Burchell.

READ: WATCH: PNP’s Burchell criticises ‘special treatment’ for Tufton after bike accident

Responding to what was described as “false” and “vulgar” accusations, G2K President Shayne Kerr urged the PNP to desist from using Tufton’s injury to his limbs and head to score political points.

“It is really unbecoming, disgraceful and vulgar of Miss Burchell to attempt to exploit Minister Tufton’s injuries for political mileage. The fact is at least three high profile members of the PNP have interacted with the healthcare system recently and they were treated fairly and with decency by the Jamaica Labour Party, because we are of the view that a human being’s health situation should not be exploited for political gain. We believe in decency,” Kerr said.

G2K said the minister was assessed based on the triage system used to assess all patients and he was treated accordingly. It noted that the minister’s surgery was also delayed for several hours because other patients were given priority.

Additionally, Kerr said the Government has demonstrated its sensitivity to the need for more beds across the healthcare system and has made investment to expand, rehabilitate and build new facilities to achieve this objective.