A 71-year-old man encountered a medical emergency while checking in for his return flight to the United States at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James. He was subsequently pronounced dead.
President of the Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services (TODSS), Egerton Newman, is calling on Transport Minister Daryl Vaz for the establishment of medical centres at the country’s two major international airports.
“The Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services TODSS is therefore calling on the Minister of Transport Honourable Daryl Vaz to consider the establishment of a medical centre or medical help desk with a doctor on call at our two main international airports,” Newman appealed.
“With over three million visitors coming to Jamaica each year and our airports are the main centre of transportation, hence we urge consideration be given with a matter of urgency for medical facilities at our airports,” he added.
His call comes in the wake of the death of a 71-year-old man who passed away last Wednesday at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James.
“As a public transportation organisation, TODSS must ask the question why our airports do not have a primary medical centre or desk as part of the airport plant. The recent death of an elderly man at the SIA over brings into sharp focus the need for such a facility. What happened to this passenger could be averted somewhat if there was a medcentre or at least an ambulance or doctor on call,” Newman said.
Westmoreland native, Leroy Smith, who resides in America, visited Jamaica to attend the funeral of a relative, was in the process of checking in for his return flight when he died.
Transport Minister Vaz has ordered an investigation into the circumstances which led to the death of the elderly man.
