KINGSTON, Jamaica— A meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday between the Ministry of Labour and the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) after ambulance workers stayed off the job on Monday and Tuesday to register their concerns surrounding retroactive payments owed to them and the upgrading of drivers’ posts.

SERHA, in a media release on Tuesday, said some services have been affected, including nursing support at the Kingston Public Hospital, mental health services at the Kingston and St Andrew Health Department, and operations at the National Chest Hospital.

“Under the region’s decentralised transport management system, each institution is responsible for its day-to-day operations, including the supervision of drivers and transport logistics. In anticipation of such challenges, SERHA had previously advised all institutions to establish service agreements with external ambulance providers. This proactive measure allowed for swift support and has helped to ensure that critical ambulance services remain operational,” the authority said.

The authority added that the goal of the meeting is to achieve a timely and amicable resolution to the issues raised.