KINGSON, Jamaican — People’s National Party (PNP) Spokesperson on Health, Dr Alfred Dawes is calling for the immediate resignation of South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) chairman Wentworth Charles over the $31 million purchase of a single neuro drill.

In a statement, Dawes indicated he had met with the SERHA leadership team Wednesday morning to get answers to critical questions about the controversial purchase of the neuro drill.

The PNP spokesperson said “troubling revelations” emerged at the meeting.

”SERHA has attempted to frame the procurement as being solely driven by the doctors who selected the technical specifications. The Opposition disputed the argument noting that the procurement system is deeply flawed, leaving the doctors with no real choice. They were forced to choose between drills costing $30 million or $50 million, neither of which represented value for taxpayers,” the statement said.

Dawes emphasised that no blame can be laid at the doctors or technical staff, who he said had to make a decision without meaningful alternatives. He said the process should have included proper internal cost evaluations to guide more reasonable and transparent spending.

“There is no justification for such an outrageous spend when so many of our hospitals and health centres are crying out for basic renovations. This is a slap in the face to the Jamaican people who so desperately depend on our crumbling public health system”, said Dr Dawes.

He has described the procurement as “at best, gross incompetence and at worst, highly technical corruption.”

Dawes claims that a reasonable internal costing for similar accessories would have easily cost less than half that price.

Dawes noted what he described as SERHA’s ongoing deterioration, citing repeated closures of operating theatres at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, Bustamante Hospital for Children, Kingston Public Hospital, National Chest Hospital, and Linstead Hospital, as well as a decline in available ICU beds. He also warned that surgeries are being performed at KPH despite incomplete air quality tests, putting both staff and patients at risk of exposure to mould that had previously been detected.

“Jamaicans deserve leadership that prioritizes transparency, competence, and the wellbeing of the people, not one that squanders taxpayer dollars while healthcare collapses around us,” he said.