Dawes presses Government on KPH theatre faults disrupting surgeries

Opposition Spokesman on Health and Wellness Dr Alfred Dawes is urging firm intervention to deal with repeated infrastructure failures at Kingston Public Hospital, where surgery schedules have again been affected.

On Sunday, KPH management said operations at the hospital were still being interrupted because the central air-conditioning system linked to two operating theatres was giving trouble.

The South East Regional Health Authority said those defects have slowed the planning and completion of elective procedures in several medical specialties.

In a SERHA-issued statement, KPH Chief Executive Officer Dwayne Francis said the hospital’s leadership understood how the postponements were affecting patients and relatives, especially those waiting on elective operations.

Francis also apologised to the persons affected, saying the hospital recognised the worry, inconvenience and disruption caused when surgeries are pushed back.

In his own statement on Monday, Dawes said the problem has been around for too long and must be properly fixed.

He said Jamaica was seeing a repeat of the same crisis and what he described as an insufficient response, with surgeries cancelled, critical medical missions left uncertain, and staff and patients carrying the burden.

Dawes accused the Ministry of Health of failing to put lasting solutions in place. He argued that the situation amounted to temporary patching being presented as competent crisis management.

The opposition spokesman said breakdowns in operating theatres create wider pressure across the health sector, including longer surgical waiting lists for patients in pain, staff working in conditions that may affect their safety and outcomes, delayed or cancelled life-saving care, and weakening trust in public health institutions.

Dawes blamed the situation on what he called systemic causes, including defective air-conditioning units, mould intrusion and badly neglected infrastructure that has made short-term repairs the usual response.

He is calling on the Government to commit to final corrective work at the hospital.

Dawes said Jamaicans deserve more than assurances, adding that operating theatres should be safe, functional and staffed by workers who are not placed under threat. He said the Health Ministry should invest in permanent solutions rather than appearances.

Among the steps being sought by the Opposition are an independent review of the hospital’s infrastructure, enough funding for full corrective works, and the return of surgical services to full capacity under verified safety protocols.

Dawes said operating theatres must not remain a recurring emergency, but should serve as a core part of the health system, adding that the cycle must end and the work must be done.