Minister of Health, Rudyard Spencer says funds have been diverted from a few projects which will also delay their implementation to provide additional security at the Spanish Town Hospital in St Catherine which was the scene of an invasion by gunmen recently.

Spencer was addressing a meeting on Wednesday involving members of the Jamaica Medical Doctors' Association, the Nurses' Association of Jamaica, the management of the Southeast Regional Health Authority and the senior directorate of the ministry. The meeting was called to provide an update on measures being put in place to enhance security at the hospital after concerns were raised.

serious situation

"We want to ensure that our staff is as safe as we can possibly make it. It is a very serious situation when those who are there to tend to the sick cannot work in peace. While we cannot disclose all the measure we are putting in place, I want to assure you that we are working swiftly to deal with the problem," Spencer said.

The minister said a contract has already been signed and work should get under way shortly to construct a perimeter fence around the hospital. He says measures are also being immediately implemented to improve a number of other areas.