BEING A doctor in the Jamaican health-care system today is like having an irretractable pain with no painkillers to help. The things I am going to discuss can be verified with some investigation. For fear of repercussion, I have opted to not reveal my identity.

Within the last two weeks a young girl was admitted to a public institution with a head injury. In this era of free health care, she could not afford a CT brain scan (CAT Scan). It was decided she should be sent to a public institution that could do it. However, to the horror of the medical staff, the Type A hospital contacted had a functioning CT but no radiologist.

The Jamaican health-care system is deteriorating and the Government has opted, still, to explore a shift system for doctors. In the first place, a simple search on the Internet would reveal that in every country this has been tried, it has failed. Second, the Government wants to win public opinion and, by doing so, it has tried to paint us as greedy, lazy and uncaring.

Influencing public negatively

The Government initiated a war between nurses and doctors many years ago, which still has not been fully resolved. Why are they trying to turn the public against doctors? What is that supposed to achieve?

Imagine that by law one was mandated to work a 40-hour week; eight hour shifts with no overtime. A man comes in with a gunshot to his chest or abdomen. It is 10 minutes before one's shift ends. Surgery may last hours past shift time. Should the doctor hand the case over to the next shift, as strict adherence to the law would encourage?

You tell me.

I am, etc.,

DR ANONYMOUS