Medical interns are expected to stage a protest today as they call for urgent action to address some long-standing concerns.

Their lobby group, the Jamaica Medical Doctors’ Association (JMDA), has urged other doctors and supporters to wear blue today in a show of solidarity with the medical interns.

In a statement, the JMDA noted that there has been a significant drop in the number of interns working within medical facilities islandwide.

It argues that this has created significant human resource and clinical issues and has posed substantial problems to service delivery.

It has also increased the psychological and physical toll on medical teams.

JMDA President Dr. Renee Badroe says that in many facilities, the interns are working 24 to 32-hour periods on alternate days.

Dr. Badroe is calling for the immediate cessation of these hours of work, which violate the guidelines.

The Association added that the development of clinical acumen during the internship period is threatened, as medical officers have identified that interns are unable to adequately hone their key clinical skills because of the significant increase in workload associated with the decreased intern-to-service ratio.

It says this has far-reaching implications for patient safety and the quality of clinical training.

JMDA says in the most recent sitting of the MBBS programme at the University of the West Indies, Mona, approximately 90 candidates successfully passed their examinations, some of whom will be returning to their home countries.

The Association says, based on its investigations, it does not project a significant increase in the number of graduates from the university until 2029.

The JMDA notes that without urgent intervention, the shortage of interns will continue to pressure an already strained health care system and the medical professionals who serve within it.

The Association says the absence of interns places additional strain on existing staff and contributes to increased work loads, longer working hours and challenges in maintaining efficient service delivery.

It is calling on the Ministries of Health and Finance to urgently identify funding to support the creation of additional internship posts, as well as temporary task shifting, through the contracting of senior house officers and medical officers, who can do supplementary sessions.