Declaring that the Ministry of Health and Wellness has failed to meet the needs of hospitals and clinics islandwide, as the nation suffers through the third and most deadly wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the People’s National Party (PNP) is calling for the immediate removal of Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton from his portfolio.

In a statement this afternoon, over the name of party general secretary Dr Dayton Campbell, the PNP decried the Government for what it said was a lack of a proper COVID-19 management plan for the country some 18 months into the pandemic which has already claimed at least 1,568 lives in Jamaica with 69,054 infections.

“Though not the first case of poor planning, the most recent oxygen shortage demonstrated that the Minister of Health and, by extension, the Government is failing and has failed to exercise the duty of care owed to the people of Jamaica and our dedicated healthcare workers,” state the PNP, which forms the Opposition.  

The PNP noted that it has been reported that a number of patients died over the weekend due to the lack of oxygen available at health care facilities.

“Nurses and doctors complained of having to ‘bag’ patients as young as newborns to aid their survival. This crisis was avoidable. The inability of the MOHW and this GOJ to accurately forecast our oxygen needs, diversify supply if necessary and provide patients with the best possible chance of survival, is a gross dereliction of duty,” the PNP said.

“To make matters worse, the GOJ has since denied healthcare workers’ reports of what was witnessed in hospitals across the island.”

Earlier today, the health ministry rejected claims made by IGL Limited that the Jamaican Government failed to respond to ‘repeated requests’ to ascertain the state of the country’s medical oxygen reserves before the third wave of the pandemic ravaged the island. 

According to the PNP, many of the COVID-19-related deaths could have been prevented had the Government put in place proper measures to lower the number of cases, enhance healthcare infrastructure and mitigate some of the effects of the pandemic.

“Recommendations for fever clinics, home and early COVID management protocols have fallen on deaf ears, and this has led to many in the population being unable to access health care for non-COVID-19 conditions. This again is a dereliction of the duty of care to the population,” the party said. 

“The Government must take responsibility for the result of their mishandling of the pandemic. The Minister of Health must be held accountable for the poor management of the pandemic, which has caused the loss of life of scores of loved ones. Many of the lives lost over the weekend could have been prevented.”

The party said that, in light of the discord in the public domain regarding the procurement of oxygen, the Ministry of Health is the office with responsibility for ensuring that sufficient supplies are available for the nation’s hospitals and that, ultimately, the Minister of Health has failed.

“We cannot continue to accept failure after failure at the detriment of our citizens,” the PNP said.

The minister must resign. It is in the best interest of the country that Minister Tufton be removed from this portfolio for his repeated failures and inability to effectively perform the duties of his office. The people of Jamaica deserve better, they deserve a chance at life.”

In the meantime, the PNP said itwas was again encouraging Jamaicans to get vaccinated, wear a mask and social distance as the country goes through the current spike.