Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

( L - R ) Wright-Pascoe, Allwood-Anderson

With just over three weeks to go before the abolition of user fees in the island's public health facilities, at least two medical groups have warned of impending chaos.

The Jamaica Labour Party, in its election campaign last year, promised to abolish the fees if it were to win the September 3 general election. The abolition of fees is to take effect April 1.

Dr Rosemarie Wright-Pascoe, president of the Medical Association of Jamaica (MAJ), said while the Government's decision was commendable, several deficiencies in the health-care system needed to be addressed before it comes on stream.

According to her, the cadre of physicians, nurses and all other members of the health team has to be increased to deal with the large numbers of persons expected to turn up at the facilities islandwide.

"With the expected increase of persons who will be accessing health care, there need to be supplies on the ground, availability of pharmaceuticals, radiological supplies and chemicals for laboratory facilities," Dr Wright-Pascoe said.

"We feel that if all of this is not put in place to address these concerns, there will be problems," said the MAJ boss.

As at May 28 last year, children under the age of 18 years began receiving free health care at all government hospitals and health facilities, except the University Hospital of the West Indies.

Under the new policy, diagnostic services, hospital stay and doctors' fees, drugs and surgeries are among the services provided free at government health facilities.

Few doctors, more patients

Some 30,000 visits were made to government health facilities during the first two weeks of implementation.

Dr Wright-Pascoe said several problems emerged when free health care for children took effect last year. Insufficient numbers of physicians could not quickly care for the larger-than-usual patient turnout, resulting in longer waiting periods, she said. Also, facilities could not accommodate the increased numbers.

Dr Wright-Pascoe suggested that the removal of user fees should be done on a phased basis with primary health-care facilities being the first to offer the new service.

Meanwhile, Edith Allwood-Anderson, president of the Nurses Association of Jamaica, said the nurses had not been fully advised on the implementation of the abolition of user fees.

Nurses working hours

Allwood-Anderson noted that she was informed that nurses' working hours would be extended, but warned that if adequate transportation arrangements were not put in place, nurses would work their regular hours.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding said last month that as a result of the changes in user fees, hospitals would be deprived of approximately $3.5 billion in revenue. He said the Government was committed to providing the shortfall in order that patients, especially the very poor, could have access to health care.

He said the Government would have to continue to make financial support available to the health sector within budgetary constraints.

Efforts to find out if the Government has secured funding for the programme were unsuccessful.

However, The Gleaner understands that Cabinet is still deliberating over the matter.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com