KPH an oasis in an area of violence

THE KPH seemed like an oasis. Located in an area of violence, it gave a sense of normalcy yesterday as skeleton staff hurried to perform their duties and a few visitors hastened to leave the compound.

But there was always awareness that danger lurked near.

"It is serious. It is out of hand. I think the Government must call a state of emergency", an officer said.

Outside the gates, guns barked in the distance, the constant rat-a-tat-tat and booms sounding very much like an off key orchestra.

The walls of a new wing of the hospital peppered with bullets was another reminder of the danger surrounding the hospital bordered by North Street, Princess Street, Rose Lane and Charles Street.

Soldiers and policemen stood guard there yesterday and furtive looks were made by those coming and going, all of whom avoided standing in the open and hugged the walls before dashing across the roadway which separated the administrative building from the parking lot.

Fear was evident everywhere. "Well it bad. When I leave to go home, it's scary. Sometimes when you come out you face upon gunman", a janitor told The Gleaner. "I wouldn't want to leave my children without a mother".

Another woman faced the same dilemma.

"Mi having a bad situation here. Mi want go home an' mi can't go", whispered a mother who gave birth on Saturday. Her belly was still round from the recent delivery.

Wearing a maternity dress and holding her new-born, she appeared lost and frightened but was still determined to make it back to her home in Denham Town, west Kingston. "Mi have di rest ah pickney dem ", she continued, looking strong in spite of the ordeal.

"Mi no t'ink you fi do that, baby mother", someone advised her, but she clutched the baby tightly and turned toward her home, her determination evident.

Many of the hospital's staff, among them technicians, nurses and doctors, were also looking to go home, fatigued from working without a break since Saturday, in some cases. Others opted to stay home, too fearful to set out for work.

Errol Beckford, chief executive officer of the KPH, said the hospital's major problem was a shortage of staff, which was needed as the number of injured people seeking admission kept growing. Seven people suffering from gunshot wounds were taken to the KPH up to late yesterday evening, he said.

"The staff is stretched; our ICU (Intensive-Care Unit) is stretched and our supplies are dwindling. If there is no improvement in the situation by tomorrow (Monday) we are going to reach critical stages", he said.

Mr. Beckford said the hospital was operating on one standby generator as there was no electricity after a transformer on Darling Street was damaged. The hospital was also quickly running out of supplies such as blood, he said.

He added that the hospital would now be looking at releasing all non-critical patients to take pressure off the system. He reiterated that the KPH was accepting emergency cases only, to reduce the number of persons being in the areas surrounding the hospital.

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