Letter urges government to fix overcrowding and poor standards in public hospitals

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I write as a Jamaican based in the United States who is alarmed by what patients are experiencing in the island's public hospitals. From accounts I have received and what I have seen myself, wards frequently run out of beds. In cases where a space can be found, patients still go without basics, including fresh linen.

Watching the steady decline of national healthcare is painful for a country that wants to move past outdated labels of underdevelopment. Ordinary Jamaicans are expected to accept poor treatment, while people with influence and means routinely travel abroad for medical attention. That gap points to failures in fairness and public responsibility.

Little appears to change despite repeated assurances. Commitments offered at election time too often fade once campaigns end. The state is obligated to provide reliable, dignified care to every resident, no matter their background.

Jamaicans are owed far more than what many now receive.

J. PANTRY