Birth papers and school in Jamaica - Jamaica Talk

JamCan · #1 (**permalink**) 02-28-2009, 10:32 PM

Today I went for coffee with one of my girlfriends who travels to Jamaica a lot, she's actually lived and worked there for a couple years as well. She used to live in Arnett Gardens and experienced many things none of us ever would.

She pays for 2 children in Arnett Gardens to go to school outside that community, otherwise they'd never have that opportunity.

So where I'm going with this is, she told me today that if mothers who give birth in Jamaica undergo anything more than REGULAR childbirth, and there is an outstanding hospital bill after the birth, the hospitals are ILLEGALLY withholding the child's birth certificates. The result of this is of course, the mother can never afford to pay the bill and never gets the birth papers. Without birth papers the child can never go to school.

She said the church she went to in Kingston surveyed the community to find out actually how widespread this issue is and HUNDREDS of mothers reported that they were victims of this.

It took my friend 8 months and a lot of run-around to obtain a birth certificate for one child in order to put him in school.

Mrs. Groovy 144 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-01-2009, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamCan

Today I went for coffee with one of my girlfriends who travels to Jamaica a lot, she's actually lived and worked there for a couple years as well. She used to live in Arnett Gardens and experienced many things none of us ever would.

She pays for 2 children in Arnett Gardens to go to school outside that community, otherwise they'd never have that opportunity.

So where I'm going with this is, she told me today that if mothers who give birth in Jamaica undergo anything more than REGULAR childbirth, and there is an outstanding hospital bill after the birth, the hospitals are ILLEGALLY withholding the child's birth certificates. The result of this is of course, the mother can never afford to pay the bill and never gets the birth papers. Without birth papers the child can never go to school.

She said the church she went to in Kingston surveyed the community to find out actually how widespread this issue is and HUNDREDS of mothers reported that they were victims of this.

It took my friend 8 months and a lot of run-around to obtain a birth certificate for one child in order to put him in school.

Wow..that's a shame!

JamCan · #3 (**permalink**) 03-01-2009, 12:17 PM

I wanna know how come there are no regulations by government to prevent these hospitals from doing this!

JamCan · #4 (**permalink**) 03-02-2009, 12:04 PM

And I also wanna know why it took a white woman threatening to sick the media on them, and 8 MONTHS, to obtain birth papers for ONE child

Alex4Ja · #5 (**permalink**) 03-02-2009, 01:19 PM

Its not illegal.
The Hospitals in Jamaica are obligated by Law to "REGISTER" births and deaths in their own records, but are not obligated to release the papers to the mother, nor the general public.

Thats why it is the mothers responsibility (and not the hospital's) to record this at the Registrars office;

I dont agree with it either but it is the Hospital's entitlement to institute any policy under the law, to ensure prompt payment of services rendered.

JamCan · #6 (**permalink**) 03-02-2009, 01:24 PM

Just another way the country holds the poor people down. How in God's name can a poor mother afford to pay $1000 USD for an emergency C-section she had to have, just to be able to obtain a birth certificate for her child to go to school?

Alex4Ja · #7 (**permalink**) 03-02-2009, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamCan

Just another way the country holds the poor people down. How in God's name can a poor mother afford to pay $1000 USD for an emergency C-section she had to have, just to be able to obtain a birth certificate for her child to go to school?

I really dont think that the country of Jamaica (I believe that you mean, the government) has any intention of "holding down poor people". I am not even sure if the measures we speak of, were mandated by the government rather than the hospital administration.

The way I see it is, its all about a struggling institution ina struggling society trying to ensure that they collect their revenues and prove that they are productive and viable.

If they dont collect, based on teh neagre subsidies provided by government, then they can not afford to continue to provide service to the public as well as to pay their staff.

Again, I dont agree, but I wouldnt be able to suggest a more viable option to recover these cost.

JamCan · #8 (**permalink**) 03-02-2009, 01:42 PM

From what I've heard about Jamaican hospitals they aren't providing that great of service anyways. It should be the users who pay to run the hospital, it should be the government.

Alex4Ja · #9 (**permalink**) 03-02-2009, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamCan

From what I've heard about Jamaican hospitals they aren't providing that great of service anyways. It should be the users who pay to run the hospital, it should be the government.

As is the case for many services in Jamaica.
Still, a service is being provided, no matter how delapidated, and it should be compensated. The issue of quality of service is one that seriously needs addrssing in all aspects but is a result of limited capital and resources available.
Could one of the reasons be because many who expect services are not paying?

JamCan · #10 (**permalink**) 03-02-2009, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Could one of the reasons be because many who expect services are not paying?

I just said in my last post that the people shouldn't have to pay! It should be the government. We don't pay to go to the hospital.

Alex4Ja · #11 (**permalink**) 03-02-2009, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamCan

I just said in my last post that the people shouldn't have to pay! It should be the government. We don't pay to go to the hospital.

Coming from Canada, I understand your stance.

People shouldn't have to pay for education nor health care either, but guess what? Unlike the Federated/Monarchist Socialist country that Canada is, Jamaica is (suppose to be) a Capitalist country.