ST JAMES, Jamaica — People’s National Party (PNP) caretaker for St James Central, Janice Allen, is calling for urgent accountability from health authorities over conditions at the Cornwall Regional Hospital, describing the situation as a “system failure”.

In a statement on Saturday, Allen raised concerns over longstanding issues at the facility, which serves residents across the parish and the wider western region.

According to Allen, problems at the hospital have been ongoing for years, despite repeated assurances to the public. She pointed to the impact of nearly eight years of renovation work which she said has disrupted services and placed strain on both patients and healthcare workers.

She also referenced a recent reported incident in which a woman allegedly died after waiting several days for treatment without being assigned a bed.

“If these reports are accurate, this represents not only a system failure, but a grave moral failure,” Allen said.

She is calling on the chief medical officer, the health minister and the Western Regional Health Authority to provide clarity on the circumstances surrounding the incident, including how long the patient waited, what care was provided and why a bed was not made available.

She further questioned the current state of staffing, bed capacity and emergency response at the hospital, as well as why such issues persist after years of rehabilitation work.

Allen argued that the matter requires transparency and immediate action, stressing the need for improved support for healthcare workers, increased resources for hospitals and greater public confidence in the healthcare system.