WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — Health centre visits have fallen sharply across the island since the passage of Hurricane Melissa last October, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has disclosed.

Concerned about the impact this is having, the minister is again emphasising the critical role these facilities play in the health-care system.

During a visit to Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital last Friday, Tufton stressed that all health centres — whether in the main building or under a makeshift facility — are now functional.

“[But] there is a challenge, and that challenge is a relationship between the hospital and the health centre where the patients, the people in the communities, are not yet attending to the services that they used to get at our health centres up to pre-hurricane levels,” he said.

Tufton said that across the Category 5 storm-impacted parishes attendance rates are only at 60 to 70 per cent, which means a significant portion of the population is not seeking the routine care they used to.

This is in sharp contrast to what is happening at hospitals such as Savanna-la-Mar Public General, which is currently experiencing overcrowding. Originally designed to accommodate 218 beds, the hospital is currently housing a total of 298 patients within the main building and field hospital.

In highlighting several reasons and risks associated with clinic use decline, Tufton noted that many people are understandably focused on repairing their homes following the storm.

Noting that patients with conditions like diabetes and hypertension may not be taking their medications or attending follow-up appointments, Tufton cautioned that neglecting these conditions can lead to a deterioration in health, eventually requiring urgent care where individuals will have to bypass health centres and head directly to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department in a hospital. That, he emphasised, will lead to overcrowding, as seen in Savanna-la-Mar.

As such, he reiterated the importance of using the public health system.

“Utilise the services of your health centres. Stop there before you come to the hospital. Very, very important. There are doctors there. There are nurses there. There’s a file there for you, more than likely, if you use the public health system,” he urged.

The minister added that National Health Fund services, pharmaceuticals, and medication are also available at these centres.

Tufton stressed that personal health is a crucial part of the post-hurricane recovery process.

“You cannot fix back after [the] hurricane if you’re not healthy. If you ignore that part you’re going to break down and end up in the hospital and we are trying to avoid that,” he said.