JMDA urges health minister to retract remarks on interns protest

The Jamaica Medical Doctors Association is pressing the Minister of Health and Wellness to withdraw what it calls misleading remarks about a recent protest by medical interns.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the JMDA said the minister wrongly claimed that interns at the University Hospital of the West Indies had demonstrated over a shortage of beds in the accident and emergency department. The association maintains that account merges two separate episodes.

According to the JMDA, the June 24 action involved interns across Jamaica and was driven by punishing duty schedules — some lasting more than 48 consecutive hours — and inadequate on-call sleeping arrangements. It said those interns took part in no protest in the university hospital’s accident and emergency unit.

“The interns were not involved in any protest action at the University Hospital of the West Indies in the accident and emergency department,” the association said, arguing the minister had “conflated two different events.” It added that it supports the protest that did take place at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

The JMDA also flagged a deepening shortfall of medical interns. It reported that fewer than 88 doctors graduated this year, while the public health system needs more than 160 interns. Combined with long hours, the association warned, the gap raises the risk of fatigue and could undermine patient care. It is calling for a retraction, an apology to the interns, and concrete steps on staffing and conditions for junior doctors.

Looking ahead to August, when last year’s interns move on, the association said the system faces serious strain. About 88 juniors graduated from the latest university class, it noted, but some must return to countries such as Barbados, the Bahamas and Trinidad, so Jamaica will not retain all of them. The JMDA said it is still waiting on the ministry’s plan for filling the gap.

The association further recalled that the minister had earlier announced an audit of facilities where interns rest while on duty. That review, it said, should have been finished weeks ago, yet the findings have not been shared. The JMDA remains without a meeting with the ministry on the audit results and on steps to address interns’ concerns, including during the current overlap in which last year’s interns are working alongside the new graduating class.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness had not responded to the latest demand for a retraction.