JMDA concerned about patient surge

Doctors are sometimes spending up to 20 minutes searching for basic medical supplies during regular patient-flow periods, a problem the Jamaica Medical Doctors Association (JMDA) says becomes even more consequential when emergency departments are flooded with patients.

The concern comes as the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) announced that its Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department is experiencing patient volumes beyond its normal capacity, resulting in longer waiting times, particularly for less urgent cases.

JMDA President Dr Jubilee Brown-Service said the current situation highlights inefficiencies that exist even before hospitals experience a spike in patients.