KINGSTON, Jamaica — Senator Peter Bunting, the People’s National Party (PNP) representative for Manchester South, is calling for the immediate resignation of the board of the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), led by Wayne Chen, in light of the alarming increase in maternal mortality rates.

Bunting’s call follows the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ Population Health Status Report for the period 2000-2022 which showed the maternal mortality rate at a high of 211.3 per 10,000 live births in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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In a statement to media, Bunting said the southern region which covers Manchester, Clarendon and St Elizabeth, has seen maternal deaths skyrocket tenfold within the period.

“This tenfold increase in maternal mortality is not only alarming but absolutely unacceptable…such a drastic decline in healthcare quality demands immediate action and accountability,” Bunting said.

Noting an increased share of the national budget and an additional $4 billion from the European Union to upgrade facilities at several hospitals, including Mandeville Regional Hospital, the PNP representative aligned the increased rate in maternal mortality with poor management of resources.

“Nobody can come with the idea that it’s lack of financial resources. It is poor management, it is waste, and it is, quite frankly, corruption, why they’re not doing better,” Bunting claimed.

Consequent to this, the representative is calling for the immediate resignation of the Southern Regional Health Authority board.

“There can only be two explanations for this catastrophic failure: either the board has completely neglected its supervisory responsibilities, or they have not been provided with the necessary resources to perform their duties. In either case, their continued leadership is untenable,” Bunting said.

“If they lack the resources, they should publicly declare their inability to perform their roles and step down. The rapid deterioration in our healthcare system cannot continue unabated, as it directly results in the loss of lives,” he continued.

Bunting further called for the crisis to be urgently addressed to prevent further unnecessary deaths and restore the quality of healthcare services for the citizens of Manchester, St Elizabeth and Clarendon.

“The lives of our citizens depend on a responsive and accountable healthcare system…we cannot afford to ignore this crisis any longer. Immediate and decisive action is needed to restore faith in our healthcare services and protect the health and well-being of Jamaicans,” he said.