'Packed like sardines' Doctors join nurses in Cornwall Regional protest

Burnout, overcrowding and what doctors describe as dangerous working conditions have pushed medical staff at Cornwall Regional Hospital to the brink, with doctors joining nurses in protest action at the Accident and Emergency Department.

According to Dr Renee Badroe, president of the Jamaica Medical Doctors' Association, the situation at the hospital can no longer continue in its current state.

"Cornwall cannot continue as it is. It cannot continue. The doctors are burnt out, they're stressed out," Badroe said.

She explained that about 25 doctors are assigned to the A&E department, though it was unclear how many doctors and nurses were on duty on Friday morning when the protest action unfolded.

Senior Medical Officer Dr Curtis Yeates told The STAR that he was still gathering information and could not speak in detail on the matter.

Badroe said the A&E department, which is temporarily housed at the former Mount Salem Health Centre due to ongoing construction at CRH, is operating far beyond its capacity. On Wednesday alone, she said approximately 150 patients were being treated in a very confined space.

She warned that the overcrowding has created serious fire, health and occupational safety risks.

"You have doctors at risk of needle stick injuries because patients are packed like sardines," Badroe said, noting that nurses and other hospital staff face similar dangers. "Safety is a significant concern. It's a fire hazard. It's a health hazard."

She stressed that the protest action is not about money but about patient and staff safety.

"The reason the doctors have joined the nurses is not for money. The reason that we are having this problem is the overcrowding," she said.

Badroe added that conditions worsened significantly after Hurricane Melissa caused further damage to the hospital's infrastructure in October 2025.

"The infrastructure of Cornwall, especially following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, has really taken its toll on the staff. They're burnt out and they're tired, and they don't agree that this is a place that patients are safe," she said.

Nurses at the hospital began their protest action earlier this week.

Badroe said doctors have repeatedly tried to engage hospital management and the Ministry of Health and Wellness, including sending formal correspondence to the minister last year, but many of the concerns remain unresolved.

Cornwall Regional Hospital, the main tertiary care facility for western Jamaica, has faced years of delays and challenges in its restoration. Problems first surfaced in 2016 due to concerns about noxious fumes and have since included service relocations, missed deadlines, rising costs and contractor issues.

In December 2020, Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton cited a lack of local expertise for missed deadlines and indicated that overseas assistance would be sought. A new contract was signed in 2023.

The project was originally scheduled to be completed by September 2018 at a cost of $2 billion, but the Government has said changes to the scope of work affected the timeline and cost. The administrative block was reopened last year.

Last October, before Hurricane Melissa, Tufton said he was pushing for the renovation to be completed ahead of the projected September 2026 deadline.

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