Westmoreland Residents Encouraged to Make Greater Use of Primary Healthcare Services

Residents in Westmoreland are being encouraged to make greater use of primary healthcare services, as several initiatives are being implemented to improve access and reduce congestion at the hospital.

Medical Officer of Health for the parish, Dr. Marcia Graham, made the appeal while addressing the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation meeting in Savanna-la-Mar on March 12.

She pointed out that extended hours have been introduced at the Savanna-la-Mar Health Centre to provide residents with additional opportunities to access care.

“We have resumed or extended hours at the Savanna-la-Mar Health Centre, so we are open 5 (p.m.) to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and 4 (p.m.) to 8 p.m. on a Friday. We are open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on a Saturday, and for the month of March we have added second and fourth Sundays,” Dr. Graham said.

She noted that the move is intended to ease pressure on the hospital by directing non-emergency cases to primary-care facilities.

Dr. Graham encouraged residents travelling along Hospital Road to consider the health centre as their first point of contact for non-emergency care.

“If it’s within any of the working hours of the Savanna-la-Mar Health Centre don’t go back to the hospital…; stop on your way by Savanna-la-Mar Health Centre. Let that be your first point of contact once you’re not having an accident or an emergency,” she urged.

The Medical Officer of Health also provided updates regarding temporary service arrangements at other facilities while repairs are being carried out.

She informed that operations from the Whitehouse Health Centre have been temporarily relocated.

“We have moved our Whitehouse Health Centre operations to the cottage that’s on the compound of the Bluefields Health Centre, so that is where we are operating from,” she noted.

Meanwhile, services normally offered at the Williamsfield Health Centre are currently being delivered at another location within the community.

“For the Williamsfield Health Centre, those services are now being offered from Hebron Baptist Church… . While we are doing the repairs on the health centre, that’s where we are operating from,” Dr. Graham said.

In addition, she indicated that the dental unit at the Savanna-la-Mar Health Centre has resumed operations.

Dr. Graham also reminded residents of the importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage, particularly for measles, amid outbreaks being reported in several countries.

“There are several countries in North America, Central America, South America and Latin America that have cases of measles. We don’t want that in Jamaica. We have eliminated it and we want to keep it that way,” she underscored.

Dr. Graham also stressed the need to maintain at least 95 per cent immunisation coverage and encouraged parents to ensure children attend clinics with their vaccination records.

She also urged residents to play their part in mosquito control, especially with recent rainfall creating more breeding sites.

She encouraged residents to conduct regular “search and destroy” activities around their homes to eliminate those sites.