Kerry-Ann Thompson sits on the bench she calls home at KPH. - Chad Bryan

An obese woman who was hospitalised a few weeks ago is now forced to call a bench on the property of The Kingston Public Hospital home after she was abandoned by her family who she says is unable to care for her.

THE STAR was told by a nurse that the woman spends most of her days sitting as she finds it difficult to move about for exercise because of excess weight.

The woman, who identified herself as Kerry-Ann Thompson, told our news team that she is from Trelawny and has been living on a bench adjacent to the Accident and Emergency Department for the past three weeks.

She explained that she was a patient at KPH after she was transferred from The St Ann's Bay Hospital weeks ago but has been on the bench since she was discharged.

"Sometimes the hospital gives me meals and showers at nights," she admitted while adding, "mi no like beg people," in a soft- spoken but polite manner.

limited funding

When asked if she had any family or relative to care for her, she responded yes, but added that they were unable to provide for her because of limited funds.

It was obvious that she was in need of care as the news team observed that she was attracting flies during the interview yesterday as there was an unpleasant odour close by to where she sat.

She was also wearing a dress fashioned out of a bed sheet and her right leg seemed swollen.

"My right leg is infected and it is also affecting my spine," Thompson said while emphasising that she was in pain.

She also complained about experiencing pain when carrying out her bodily functions.

Thompson's uncle, Winston Monroe explained that he had exhausted all efforts to source help for her.

"I've been trying. I go to a lot of places, you know. I go whole heap of places. I talked to the social worker at the hospital. I go down to Father Ho Long. I go down to Poor Relief. I go all bout. I still running around, running around."

He continued, "The Poor Relief people said they could do something for her, the doctor just need to look at her. They don't need to examine her, just look at her and say that she is obese and that she is incapable of work and that would give them means to help her."

Chairman of The South East Regional Health Authority Lyttleton Shirley confirmed that he was unaware of Thompson's status.

"She came in as a patient but has remained at the hospital hoping that the hospital will take care of her. She has been there for the past three weeks. I understand that family members come and do what they have to and then leave."

Shirley explained that patient abandonment is not new at the hospital and it remains a challenge.

He said, "It has reached a stage where when they no longer want to take care of them, they dump them on the hospital compound."