Hospitals Forced to Ration Oxygen as Supplies Dwindle

Dwindling oxygen supplies at hospitals across the island has further exacerbated the difficulties facing the sector. Recently the Ministry of Health announced that public hospitals would be unable to accommodate patients unless they were in emergency condition, due to the massive influx of COVID-19 patients.

This report coincides with the latest update from the Health Ministry that Jamaica had registered a record positivity rate of 50.7 percent. The shortage has arisen as a result of the main supplier of medical oxygen in Jamaica, IGL, being reportedly unable to provide hospitals with significant additional supplies until the coming week.

However, speaking with CVM Live on Saturday, August 28, Director of Patient Affairs at the University Hospital, Janet Powell, says at the UWI Hospital there were deliberations regarding the usage of oxygen. She notes there were supplies for patients in the isolation areas. Ms. Powell adds that hospitals are taking the necessary precautions to preserve the remaining oxygen supplies.

In the meantime, Head of the Western Regional Health Authority, St. Andrade Sinclair, is appealing to members of the public to get vaccinated as this is the only way to ameliorate the strain on the health sector.

More in this CVM Live story from Javine Mclean: