Mi good clean and nice people, oonuh nuh see seh di hataclaps lik wi again!!?? Jeezam piece, as mi head sekkle from the Senate resignation letters issue, mi blood pressure raise up again. Mi ah talk bout the news last week dat Jamaica's health sector close to collapsing. Yeah, man, frightening news!

It was reported in the media that persons acquainted with the health service, including the head of the Jamaica Medical Doctors Association, were claiming that the health system was heading for collapse. Of course, the "authorities" quite quickly denied this assertion.

Sanitary problems

Ah long time wi know dat tings nuh right, and dat wi health system deh pon di bring ah di precipice. People go hospital, caan get treatment and haffi go back home sicker dan how dem did lef dem yard; bed short; medication non-existent; sanitary problems as roach and other vermin ah crawl all over di place; and people caan get medication. When chikungunya lick down wi back-foot the other day, di hospital dem nevah even have "one Panadol, one Panadol". Mi nuh fraid fi talk di tingz dem. Di truth will set wi free!

Medical and other staff have to be fighting consistently for better salaries and working conditions. Indeed, many of our doctors and nurses have gone abroad to earn a better living. Inevitably, this has resulted in a weakening of our health service as there is a shortage of these persons and when they are replaced, this is usually by inexperienced individuals.

Ooonuh membah di topanaris head nurse who did ah fight fi more money fi har nurse dem? De same one weh seh dat Government did break its promise? Yeah, man, di same one wid di wig who seh dat she did have the tape? A long time di nurse dem ah fight fi better pay!

Medical equipment

Where do we go from here? How do we solve the problems? In my humble opinion the Government and all stakeholders need to sit together and strategise properly and consider, among other things, the following: how many clinics and hospitals are needed across the island? How many medical and other staff - doctors, surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists and medical technologists are needed? What medical equipment and medication are needed? What is the likely cost of all of these things? How will they be funded? Which of our overseas partners can be consulted for assistance, financial and otherwise, in achieving the objectives?

In looking at the above solutions, and in order to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, consideration has to be given as well to whether a board or organisation should be created to monitor or supervise the said changes.

In the final analysis, the, Government is abdicating its responsibility if it is not looking after the health of those it was elected to serve. A sick population cannot be a productive one to help us to "grow the economy" and extricate ourselves from our economic and financial problems.

Woeeeiiii mi head caan tek it. Oonuh have fi try extra hard fi tek care ah oonuh good, nice, clean self and nuh get sick! Until next time - mi gone tek two pill! God help we!