MANCHESTER, Jamaica — Senior Medical Officer at the Mandeville Regional Hospital Dr Everton McIntosh is appealing to medical doctors to assist in manning the facility where junior doctors are currently on strike.

“I just want to make an appeal, so if there are any doctors out there who are willing to do some sessions at the hospital, we are inviting persons to come forward… especially for the emergency departments. We would appreciate the assistance,” he told journalists Friday morning.

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The doctors on strike are protesting what they say is the slow pace of the review process by the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) to hand down a ruling as it relates to overtime payments.

Dr McIntosh said over 100 junior doctors have stayed off the job with about 24 consultants manning all the wards and departments at the regional facility.

“We should have a total of 133 doctors on duty, but just the consultants are here which is around 24 who are working, so you can see the discrepancy there, out of a total of 133. That has grave implications for the ability for us to cover all of the areas adequately in terms of the wards, the emergency department, the outpatient clinics,” he said while pointing out that there are 315 patients admitted at the hospital as of Friday morning.

— Kasey Williams