JA – Health Minister urged to resign after Hospital Debacle

By Caribbean Medical News Staff
The performance of the Health Minister, Dr Fenton Ferguson is under the microscope. This is as a result of the recent outbreak of infections at the University Hospital of the West Indies and Cornwall Regional Hospital, which resulted in the deaths of 18 babies.
Speaking at a press conference, the Ministry revealed that a total of 42 babies had contracted the infections, which have since been identified as the klebsiella and serratia strains. The outbreaks occurred in the neonatal intensive care units.
Defending his position, Ferguson was adamant that he only learnt of the deaths on Friday, which was the same day news sources revealed the tragic occurrence.
In a press release, Opposition Leader Andrew Holness expressed sympathy to the grief-stricken families, and called on Prime Minister Portia Simpsom Miller to axe the Health Minister.
“The prime minister is protecting the failing health minister, who is culpable for his failures, and should act like a prime minister and remove him,” said Holness, while campaigning in Nine Miles, Clarendon.
He went on to ask: “When 18 babies die of a mysterious illness and the minister of health is comfortable in saying that he has only just learnt of it… when the nation doesn’t even trust what the minister says since his Chik-V cover-up, and when we see the deterioration of our health services to a point which we have never seen before in the history of Jamaica, how can the prime minister not act?”
“I am very distressed that this could happen in Jamaica. The prime minister is answerable to the parents of these children as much as the Minister is answerable, because the truth is the prime minister has protected the incompetence of this Minister for too long. On behalf of the Jamaica Labour Party, we express our sincere condolences to the families affected by this latest debacle,” he added.
Holness, who served briefly as prime minister in 2011, labelled Simpson Miller as “irresponsible” for “having such a minister remain in the Cabinet”.
“…While outbreaks can happen, proper management of the health system could have reduced their spread and impact. This man should not hold his job and in any self-respecting democracy, would not hold his job as minister of health. We call upon the prime minister to act like a prime minister and protect the health of the people; remove that minister and place someone there who has greater competence in managing your health care. Enough is enough,” Holness said.
Just last year, Dr Fergusson was faced with a similar situation over the management of the chikungunya virus epidemic which left the economy in shambles and resulted in many deaths.