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I call on the Government to put actionable plans in place for the re-opening of the satellite clinic in Five Islands.
The closure of the clinic over the last few years has forced those in need of medical services to trek all the way to the Grays Farm facility. Clearly, it is unfair and unethical to force sick persons to travel that long a distance for medical care, given that the Five Islands facility was constructed to avoid that very situation.
While residents continue to cry out for use of the facility, the Government has offered no reason for the prolonged closure, besides “a lack of resources”. This is a stunning admission of failure, and a betrayal of its commitment to provide universally available primary healthcare.
I further call on the Government to properly resource and maintain the Grays Farm Clinic. The Grays Farm Clinic has experienced regular shortages of critical resources, including both medical supplies and cleaning supplies. In addition, maintenance of the facility has been woefully inadequate.
To address the gaping hole left by the Gaston Browne Administration, I have made several interventions to donate medical supplies, cleaning supplies, and material to fix the leaking roof. Nevertheless, the time has come for the Government and the Minister of Health, Molwyn Joseph, to deliver a lasting solution to the persistent problems plaguing our community healthcare facilities.
It is exceptionally shameful that even after closing one of our community clinics, the Government still failed to keep the single remaining clinic adequately resourced and maintained.
I further call for the resumption of night clinic services in Grays Farm and the provision of an on-site doctor, as was the case under the Baldwin Spencer Administration. These arrangements fully addressed the primary healthcare needs of villagers, and helped to relieve the burden on MSJMC, which could then prioritise handling the most critical cases.
The Grays Farm Dental Clinic is also severely under-resourced, and this matter must also be immediately addressed.
Adding insult to injury, sanitation on the clinic grounds is also lacking. A trench was created months ago, during the recent Rural West ABLP primary, to allow water from the hillside to flow through the clinic compound towards Federation Road. Today this trench remains incomplete, serving only as a collection point for stagnant water and a breeding ground for mosquitoes – an additional health hazard.
The healthcare shortfalls in Rural West are only part a disturbing national trend. Many other community health institutions are currently starved of resources and inadequately maintained. I condemn this blatant disregard for public health in the strongest terms.
It is past time for the Government to get serious about ensuring that quality primary health-care is available at the doorsteps of citizens and residents in all our communities. This is critical for overall public health, the reduction of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and the achievement of sustainable development, which is one of the stated goals of the ongoing SIDS Conference.
Richard S. Lewis MP
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I understand your concern, but here in the U.S. where we live, the closest medical/dental care is 38 miles, not kilometers. We share the same burden in rural America.
Get some BALLS you coward. D.GISEL Isaac and UPP kicked you in the BUTT and you still making noise. Shut your damn mouth.
@ SHARL
AND YOU SHUT YOUR DAM HALITOSIS BAD BREATH.
TAIS -TOI EN ENFER!!!
@Sharl.
All the UPP did was chose a party leader, simple! how is that kicking Mr Lewis in the butt according to you?
I am proud of this man for the way he reacted to being not chosen, and that he didn’t resort to the gutter talk like your fool of a PM who have no respect for women when he’s been called out politically.
Mr Lewis is a class act in comparison to your loud mouth pompous leader. Look how your PM attack the Good Doctor because she simple tell him to move some signs..look how personal the man got, and here you are having the audacity to tell someone to shut up.
Go tell your pig-headed leader to shut up and stop embarrassing himself and the position he holds.
Didn’t his Senator Ms Marshall just gave a speech on Gender equality at the SIDS? Well it’s damn clear your PM doesn’t approve of that speech by the way he attacked the good DR, and personally calling the woman ugly.
So you go shut your damn mouth, you and your stinking mouth Gatson Browne.
Fool.
@michael Whitehorse: You made that choice to live 38 miles away from a medical facility.I am living in a small city.My primary care and dental facilities are within 1 mile from my home.The Five Island Clinic is a necessity to the people in that area.The people from Hatton,Sidehill,Denfield,Champy and the surrounding areas could go to that clinic.Take pressures off of the Grays Farm Clinic.
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