7 HEALTH AND Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has signalled that decisive action will follow the tragic death of a newborn at the Cornwall Regional Hospital, declaring that the authorities must act if wrongdoing is uncovered. “Clearly, we all want safe deliveries ... . It’s a very unfortunate situation and we certainly sympathse with the family members,” Tufton told The Gleaner, adding he has asked the regional director to probe the circumstances. In his first remark, Tufton, who said he became aware of the incident after it was first reported on Tuesday by The Gleaner, confirmed that a formal review is now under way, stressing that accountability is paramount. Tufton said he would await the investigation and the submission of a report, and refrain from saying too much in the “heat of the moment”. His position comes as the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) issued a statement last week expressing “deep regret” over the death of the baby, Ramontay Rakai Ranger, born to Shandale Ballentine, while announcing an urgent case review into the matter. According to the WRHA, the hospital has extended condolences to the grieving mother and her family and has committed to maintaining transparency, while safeguarding patient privacy. The authority also stated that “psychosocial support is being provided” and that the matter is being treated with urgency as part of its commitment to patient safety and quality care. But a 33-year-old Ballentine was stunned by the release. In a response to the hospital’s public statement, she told The Gleaner that she has not received any counselling. Instead, she said that her only contact from the hospital has been a telephone call and an email from a senior customer care officer at the WRHA, acknowledging receipt of her complaint and advising that a full investigation would be conducted. The letter indicated that the probe could take up to 40 working days, after which she would be invited to discuss the findings. Tufton urges accountability after tragic infant loss THE PARLIAMENT’S Ethics Committee says it is moving to have embattled St Andrew East Central Member of Parliament (MP) Dennis Gordon appear before it on April 22 to clarify statements he made during a previous meeting concerning matters related to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) procurement and tax exemption issue. The Ethics Committee, at its last meeting in February, considered and signed off on an exemption motion which allowed Gordon not to vacate his seat if he becomes party to any contract with the Government. The House of Representatives subsequently gave the stamp of approval to the exemption motion for Gordon to do business with the Government, while remaining an MP. On Sunday, Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding said a decision had been made for Gordon to relinquish his positions as a member of the PAC and the Shadow Cabinet until at least three investigations into how the UHWI used its tax exempt status to benefit private companies were completed. Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @ JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @ GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@ gleanerjm.com or editors@ gleanerjm.com. Ethics Committee to summon Gordon TUFTON THE DEPARTURE of 27 Cuban healthcare workers from Cornwall Regional Hospital has exposed critical gaps in specialist care, forcing the Government to turn to the diaspora, Africa, and India to fill the void. Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, speaking at a press briefing in Montego Bay, St James, on Thursday, said the group – comprising 22 nurses, three doctors, and four radiotherapists – had been filling roles that could not easily be staffed locally. While the hospital has since recruited additional personnel, including 25 nurses, 18 patient- care assistants, and several doctors, Tufton stressed that these hires do not replace the expertise lost. “They are not a replacement for the Cubans … . The Cubans were specialists,” he said. The exit forms part of a wider shift in Jamaica’s decades-old medical cooperation programme with Cuba, which spanned five decades and long supplemented the island’s public-health system with specialist personnel. At the start of this year, there were approximately 260 Cuban healthcare workers in Jamaica, including about 50 assigned to the Western Regional Health Authority, where Cornwall Regional Hospital is located. The loss is being felt most acutely in specialised areas such as oncology, where four radiotherapy positions remain vacant and local replacements have not been identified. To address the shortfall, the Government has shortlisted approximately 70 candidates from the diaspora, drawn from a wider pool of applicants, with interviews now under way. At the same time, Jamaica is expanding recruitment efforts internationally, with agreements being finalised with Ghana and Nigeria, and engagement is under way with India’s Apollo hospital system to source skilled personnel. Cuban exit exposes specialist gaps at crh THE WEEKLY GLEANER | APRIL 16 - MAY 14 2026 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS MISSED
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