Waiting in pain for 5 months

Garfield Granston, who broke his spine in May, is seen at Black River Hospital. THE wait continues for 57-year-old Garfield Granston — who broke his spine in May — to receive a procedure which remains stalled by an out-of-service machine at Kingston Public Hospital (KPH). His stepdaughter, Elexso Smith, told the Jamaica Observer on Monday that the family has endured five long months awaiting a surgery date, but KPH has not delivered a clear timeline, leaving Granston at Black River Hospital (BRH) where he was initially admitted. Granston’s ordeal began on May 15, 2026 when he fell from a tree and was rushed to BRH in his home parish of St Elizabeth. There, doctors determined that he had sustained fractures in two places along his spine and would require surgery. The family was subsequently told that the hospital lacked the facilities to perform the procedure, and her stepfather was referred to KPH — Jamaica’s largest public multidisciplinary Type-A facility — with the hope of receiving the treatment he needed. The procedure required 10 pedicle screws, 10 set screws, and two rods, at a total cost of $854,000. Faced with that bill, Smith said the family sought assistance from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, which provided a $554,000 subsidy, while they covered the remaining $300,000. Smith shared that after the bill was cleared, she was certain that her stepfather would soon receive surgery. But when they took the receipt to Granston’s surgeon, another obstacle outside of her family’s control presented itself. “Before we pay the money at KPH, and before we got help from the health ministry, the doctor was very harsh, because he was arguing saying that we have to pay the money before we can do surgery. When we get the receipt, and gave it to the doctor he said: ‘One more problem. The machine broke down’,” Smith told the Observer. “Every time he is to go up there [KPH] they’re always putting him off or if he’s sent up there they send him back down [to BRH]. From the last time he went up there on the 30th [of June] he has not been back there. And then when they [BRH] call up there they say he mustn’t come, or there is no bed space,” she claimed. The most recent update was delivered by doctors at Black River Hospital, notifying Smith and family that the surgery would not be possible until a bedsore that Granston had developed during his five-month stay completely healed. She argued that the “cut”, slightly positioned above his lower back, was small, and should not, in her estimation, cause further delay. Smith added that her stepfather’s care regimen has been stressful on the family, who argue that caring for him in his current state is significantly more difficult than if he were recovering from surgery. “Sometimes we say that it would have been better if he was at home, you know, so you can spend a little time with him and do what you have to do. It’s really hard for us; you have to buy pampers and every little thing. If he did the surgery and can sit upright, we could push him in a wheelchair and help him to use the bathroom. So right now it’s just really hard,” said Smith. Meanwhile, Granston remains at BRH where he receives treatment for pain but continues to bear the discomfort of his injuries. “They’ve just been giving him pills. Right now, he’s been complaining about pain in his belly. About two weeks ago he had to do a test and we’re still waiting on those results. So it has just been hard on him, and hard on everyone,” Smith said. Tired of waiting while her stepfather languishes in pain, Smith has called on KPH to provide a clear timeline for when his distress will end. “I just want to find out what’s really happening with this surgery situation. It’s been months and nothing. We’re not hearing nothing at all. So we just want KPH to state what their position is with this surgery as soon as possible,” said Smith.