News

Nadisha Hunter, Gleaner Writer

NORMALITY HAS returned to the health system following the decision by the island's nurses to call off industrial action.

President of the Nurses' Association of Jamaica (NAJ) Edith Allwood-Anderson yesterday told her team to return to work following two days of high levels of absenteeism from some hospitals.

The Government and the NAJ have been at odds for some time over the delay in the payment of outstanding salaries and other benefits.

Health Minister Rudyard Spencer said the high levels of absenteeism caused significant strain on the sector, forcing the ministry to activate its standard emergency protocols.

Only emergency cases were being handled by medical staff and non-critical patients were discharged. Elective surgeries were cancelled, and senior nurses manned critical areas of hospital operations.

Normality restored

Labour Minister Pearnel Charles yesterday said the ministry had been advised by the NAJ that industrial action taken by its members would cease and normality immediately restored to the health sector.

Earlier, Spencer told journalists at a press conference that the nurses are not likely to receive their payment due under a reclassification of the health sector until February when the other groups are addressed.

"It is the entire health sector that is involved. The nurses have completed their part, and my understanding is the other part won't be finished until February. Until that time, we dare not address one part of that reclassification exercise," he said.

Meanwhile, Spencer said the ministry would be moving to address security issues in public facilities. He said the initial areas of focus would be technology, lighting, and manpower.

The minister said reviews at those institutions that experienced breaches to their security had been completed. The facilities include the Spanish Town Hospital, the Bustamante Hospital for Children, the Princess Margaret Hospital, the Bellevue Hospital, and some health centres.

Spencer said the ministry is currently reviewing the speci-fications for security contracts based on the reviews that were done and the ministry's strategic security plan.

"The Ministry of Health has taken a decision to tailor security contracts to the security profile of individual health facilities having regard to the fact that the security needs of one institution might be different from that of the other," he said.