More doctors are to be made available for non-emergency cases at the May Pen Hospital in Clarendon on weekends, following the death of an eight-syear-old asthmatic child last Saturday.

This after Rudyard Spencer, Minister of Health and Environment instructed the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA) to increase the number of doctors and pursue the opening of some health centres on Saturdays to better accommodate the patient load at the institution.

Mr. Spencer was speaking at a meeting held Monday at the ministry's King Street offices, downtown Kingston.

Others in attendance at the meeting were Dr. Winston Dawes, senior medical officer at the May Pen Hospital and Dr. Grace Allen-Young, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Heath and Environment.

What happened to the child

In reporting on the incident, Dr. Dawes confirmed that the child was taken to the hospital for shortness of breath. He noted that the child was given intravenous fluids, antibiotic and hydrocortisone and placed on a bed in the Accident and Emergency Department.

He reported that frequent checks done in the presence of the child's mother, showed signs of improved health. However, approximately four hours into the treatment the child became erratic and died half an hour later.