Tufton Moves to Dismiss ‘Extreme and Hyperbolic’ Annotto Bay Hospital Criticism

Health and wellness minister, Dr Christopher Tufton, has described as extreme and hyperbolic comments by the opposition People’s National Party, PNP, about the Annotto Bay Hospital in St Mary.

Dr Tufton has pushed back against the criticism, saying the government’s overhaul of services at the hospital is clearly visible.

Earlier this week, Dr. Tufton’s opposition counterpart, Dr. Alfred Dawes, led a team of PNP political representatives from the parish on a visit to the Annotto Bay Hospital.

They described the facility as being plagued by overcrowded wards, outdated and frequently malfunctioning equipment, an operating theatre that is often out of service, and a number of ailments.

According to him, the upgrading of the facility to a Type B facility in 2023 was an announcement only.

But Dr Tufton is defending the work done to improve the hospital in recent years.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton.

Dr Tufton was speaking at a tour of the facilities at the St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital in St Ann, on Thursday.

The focus was on the Urology Department which had seen some 8,000 patients since it was established less than three years ago.

The North-East Regional Health Authority, NERHA, has also defended the work already done to upgrade the hospital and widen services deliverables.

In a statement on Wednesday it listed several other upgrade works in train at the hospital.

These include upgrading the electrical system, the construction of a new building, the procurement of equipment to relocate laboratory services, and the expansion of the Paediatric Ward.

The upgrade also includes the construction and equipping of a 20-cot Special Care Nursery, valued at $267 million, the expansion of the sewage treatment plant, and the construction of an accident emergency and outpatient department.

NERHA adds that design works to expand the maternity ward with an attending operating theatre and delivery suites are complete, and they are awaiting discussions and decisions on implementation strategies.