Health Ministry to review decision not to release full audit of health facilities

The Health Ministry says it will be meeting to determine whether to reverse its decision not to release the full audit report on Jamaica's major hospitals and health centres. 

Members of the public have raised concerns about the decision not to publish the full results of the audit.

Speaking on Cliff Hughes Online this morning, Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry, Dr Kevin Harvey, said ministry officials along with groups representing workers in the sector will meet to review the decision. 

However, he is maintaining that the assessment is not comprehensive and was carried out mainly for internal purposes.

Meanwhile, Dr Harvey says the assessment of the health facilities was more of a review than an audit. 

Only a document listing eight major findings of the review has been released to the public. 

The ministry said it chose not to release the full report because it did not want the public to have negative views against the implicated public health facilities.

Some of findings include inadequate systems and infrastructure for the prevention and control of infections, insufficient hygiene practice and inadequate supplies of items such as gowns and aprons.