The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) is calling for a detailed report on the air quality assessment conducted at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH).

The PNP says the response should include the results and recommendations following the most recent incident.

According to the Opposition, it’s deeply concerned and outraged at the latest public health crisis at the KPH, where noxious chemical fumes forced the closure and emergency evacuation of the Accident and Emergency Department at the weekend.

It notes that this incident comes less than a month after a mould outbreak at the hospital.

According to the PNP, the repeated disruption of critical emergency services at KPH is not only unacceptable, but places lives at risk and highlights severe lapses in planning, oversight and public communication.

The PNP says it has been informed that the A&E Department has now been relocated to outpatient clinics, X-ray services moved to upper floors and laboratory services redirected to the National Public Health Lab.

It points out that this level of improvisation is unsustainable.

The PNP says the nation deserves full transparency and accountability and has called on the Health Minister and the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) to provide an immediate response to the air quality matter and a number of other issues.

The PNP also wants information on the contractor responsible for recent works affecting the hospital’s infrastructure and wants to know what experience did the contractor have with sensitive health facilities, was there consultation with medical staff before and after completion and were materials and chemicals used properly certified and approved?

The Opposition is also asking about the rationale and safety protocols for relocating critical services such as the operating theatre and emergency services and a clear timeline stating if full services have resumed safely at the A&E Department, and if not, when.

According to the PNP, many staff have reported symptoms and are being advised to seek care externally.

It adds that the fact that many staff have not been properly fit-tested for N95 respirators raises further questions about workplace safety standards across the public health sector.

The party is demanding that the government acts with urgency, competence, and transparency and not with what it calls excuses.