SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland – As she cradled her ill child in her arms for an entire day spent seated on an uncomfortable chair, Sash Woodrow’s feet became swollen and bags formed under her eyes. She believes that the Savanna-la-Mar Public Hospital in Westmoreland can do better.

“I’m here from yesterday morning with the baby. She have a fever and I bring her here come and they said [there are] not much beds [so] we have to sit down on the chair through the day and night,” a distressed Woodrow told the Jamaica Observer during a visit to the health facility on Tuesday.

As she spoke she held her sleeping child close. An IV drip was attached to one of the baby’s arms.

“They need to do things properly. The baby sleeps in my hand, my feet swell up because of that and she’s miserable because she wants to lie down,” the distraught mother added.

There is no telling when a bed will become available. A combination of an increase in dengue and social cases, a spike in respiratory cases, inadequate space and equipment has left staff scrambling to care for patients.

“Our hospital has a capacity of 190, this month we’re at 284 plus five babies. Last weekend we got to 291,” explained the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer Camille Lewin, who has described the situation as a “real” crisis.

Beach chairs, donated by a hotelier during the COVID-19 pandemic, have been added to a section of the Accident & Emergency Unit’s waiting room, so that patients will be able to get a bit more comfortable. The hospital is short on wheelchairs but Lewin said it has enough beds. What they lack is space for the beds to fit on their wards.

The A&E is overcrowded and staff members are long past breaking point.

“They’re tired; we have a lot of persons calling in sick. We have like three nurses who have called out. [We are] burnt out and it’s hard,” Nurse Imani Campbell told Observer West.

“I don’t think they are managing well and we really need bigger space for the patients and for the staff,” she stressed.

Campbell said the patient-to-nurse ratio is cause for concern.

“Eight-nine patients to five nurses; that can be harsh on us!” she said.

She is particularly concerned about the lack of bed space.

“It’s very sad…They come here and they’re expecting the right care and we can’t provide them with space to sleep or to lie down,” a concerned Campbell added.