Jamaica’s Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has advised Jamaicans not to go to public hospitals unless absolutely necessary, as several major hospitals are now experiencing overcrowding and longer wait times.
The surge in patients seeking care comes amid a triple threat of dengue, flu, and COVID-19, which has been putting additional stress on the island’s health care facilities. The Ministry of Health said there are more than 150 admissions to hospitals that are dengue-related.
As of Friday morning, there were more than 260 patients waiting on beds across 18 public health facilities. The ministry said that the University Hospital of the West Indies (Kingston), Cornwall Regional (St. James), Spanish Town (St. Catherine), and Savanna-la-Mar (Westmoreland) Hospitals report the highest number of patients awaiting beds.
“Our hospitals always experience challenges with patients seeking care at this time of year and in response to this, the Ministry along with the Regional Health Authorities have put measures in place to ease the burden on the health system. These include extended opening hours at select health centers across the island,” Dr. Tufton said.
The minister also encouraged Jamaicans to seek medical care at any of the over 300 health centers on the island, instead of at public hospitals, unless necessary.
Dengue outbreak spreading
The dengue outbreak, which is the main cause of the overcrowding, is now running rampant in all parishes on the island.
Since the outbreak was declared in September, Jamaica has recorded over 400 confirmed cases, along with an increase in the number of suspected cases and dengue-related deaths.
Earlier this week, the island’s Ministry of Health and Wellness reported that there were 434 confirmed Dengue cases in the country from approximately 2,107 suspected, presumed, and confirmed cases. There are now seven dengue-related deaths — five classified as suspected and two as confirmed.
Tufton said he is anticipating that the dengue outbreak will last through to the end of the year, and likely end in the first quarter of 2024.
National Epidemiologist Dr. Karen Webster-Kerr has also sounded the alarm, saying that the country could record more than 1,000 confirmed, suspected, and presumed cases of the dengue virus each month until the first quarter of next year.
Read more:
- Dengue on the rise: Jamaica could see over 1,000 suspected cases monthly into 2024
- Jamaica records over 400 confirmed cases of dengue
- COVID-19, dengue, and flu putting pressure on Jamaican health care system, says Tufton
Dr. Webster-Kerr noted that Jamaica could possibly see a staggering 1,400 cases monthly. A gradual decrease is expected around March 2024.
