Tufton rejects calls to resign over Cornwall hospital crisis

Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has rejected calls for him to resign over the crisis at the Cornwall Regional Hospital.

According to Tufton, the call appears to be an attempt to gain political advantage from an unfortunate event.

"I am still trying to determine why that call is necessary except to sensationalise the issue," Tufton said on Radio Jamaica.

The Opposition has demanded that Tufton resign because of what it calls his poor handling of the situation at the Cornwall Regional Hospital.

According to the Opposition, the situation has now become the worst crisis to have affected Jamaica’s health system, putting the health care of the people in the western belt of the island at risk. 

Staff and patients at the hospital have been falling ill because of air quality problems in the building.

Last year, a technical team from the Health Ministry recommended that patients be relocated in 10 days.

However, the health minister rejected the recommendation.

He has now sought to explain that it was not practical at the time.

IN PHOTO: Dayton Campbell

"His decision demonstrates his lack of understanding or appreciation of the seriousness of the health threat that was facing one entire region," said Dayton Campbell, Opposition spokesman on health.  

 He said the failure by the minister to act demonstrates an unfortunate lack of understanding of the issues.

"The life-threatening implications of his inaction are now evident.  It firmly signals that he does not have the capacity to lead the health ministry, nor does he take the health of the nation serious."

IN PHOTO: Wykeham McNeill

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Western Dr Wykeham McNeill, is encouraging the government to ensure additional services and resources are put in place in all the health facilities in western Jamaica to help mitigate against the fall out in the pending closure of the Cornwall Regional Hospital.

Some patients are being transferred to a nearby building and others to the Falmouth hospital. to facilitate repair work on Cornwall Regional.

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