Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton is to meet with the Jamaica Medical Doctors Association (JMDA) this morning to discuss the state of the health-care system in the western and southern regions following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

This comes after the JMDA called for urgent dialogue about the worsening conditions at facilities in the region, especially the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, St. James.

Cornwall Regional, the Falmouth Hospital in Trelawny and the Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth are among health facilities which suffered significant damage during the Category 5 hurricane on October 28.

In a release last Friday, the JMDA called for an accurate picture of the situation at Cornwall Regional.

This after the Western Regional Health Authority on November 4 urged “pregnant women, patients scheduled for surgeries and individuals due for cancer treatment to seek medical attention at hospitals outside of the region in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.”

The JMDA said on November 6, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cornwall Regional Hospital, Charmaine Beckford-Williams was quoted in a post on the official Instagram page of the St. James Municipal Corporation saying that “all areas of the health facility are offering reduced services following the impact of Hurricane Melissa.”

President of the JMDA, Dr. Renee Badroe said the statements by WRHA and the CEO are contradictory.

She called for dialogue aimed at addressing the issues.

When questioned about the matter on Friday, the Health Minister told IRIE FM News that he was willing to meet with the JMDA on Saturday, November 8 or today, November 10.

Dr. Badroe confirmed on Sunday that a meeting has been set for 9:00 A.M. today.

She expects it to be fruitful.