Historical Map of Westmoreland Parish, Jamaica

Things to Know About Westmoreland

Westmoreland is the westernmost parish in Jamaica, located on the south side of the island. It is situated to the south of Hanover, the southwest of Saint James, and the northwest of Saint Elizabeth, in the county of Cornwall. The chief town and capital is Savanna-la-Mar. Negril, a famous tourist destination, is also situated in the parish.

Westmoreland got the name in 1703 because it was the most westerly point in Jamaica. The parish is known for its beautiful coastline and many beaches that are off the beaten track, such as Bluefields Beach.

Over 40 km2 (10, 000 acres) of the parish is morass land. The largest section of this morass, the Great Morass, is a major wildlife sanctuary.

The 1938 riots at the Frome Sugar Estate in the parish played a catalytic role in the creation of a new constitution for the island, as well as for the declaration of universal adult suffrage in 1944.

These events steered Jamaica on a path to self-government which culminated in Independence from Britain. Numerous rivers run through the parish. The Cabaritta River, which is 39.7 kilometres long, drains the George's Plain and can accommodate ships weighing up to eight tons.

Other rivers include the Negril, New Savanna, Morgan's, Gut, Smithfield, Bowens, Bluefields, Robins, Roaring, Great and Dean.

As a result of the fertile plains, the parish thrives on agriculture, mainly sugarcane, which offers direct employment. Other agricultural products include bananas, coffee, ginger, cocoa, pimento, honey, rice, and breadfruit. Pastoralism is also practised; the rearing of cattle, horses, and mules, as well as fishing —there are 19 fishing beaches with over 100 boats engaged in the industry.

Manufacturing is the third largest sector. Manufactured items include food and drink, tobacco, animal feeds, textile and textile products.

In 1938, riots at the Frome sugar estate, changed the course of Jamaica's history. In the wake of these riots, the legislature passed universal adult suffrage in 1944, as well as a new constitution, which was approved by the Crown.

This put Jamaica on the road to self government and eventually independence. The two national heroes, Sir Alexander Bustamante and Norman Washington Manley, emerged as political leaders during this time.

Westmoreland At a Glance

Health Care Access In Westmoreland

The Westmoreland Public Health Services provides preventative and curative health care primarily to a population of over 142, 000 persons living in the Parish of Westmoreland. The Westmoreland Public Health Services is an integration of Primary and Secondary Care Services within the parish of Westmoreland and a division of the Western Regional Health Authority.

The parish's public health facilities consist of a Public General Hospital and twenty-one (21) Health Centres of types 1 to 3 strategically located across the parish. The Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital operates as the only Type B Hospital in the Western region. In addition to serving the parish of Westmoreland, clients from the adjoining parishes of Hanover, St James and St Elizabeth also access its services, resulting in a reach of over 200,000 persons. The hospital has a bed capacity of less than 200. 

Services are offered across the parish by qualified staff who manage the services, and address the health issues of a primary and secondary nature. Some services are provided at the health facility while others are carried out in homes, business places and other premises. 

It must however be noted that: 

1. Westmoreland is estimated to have one of the highest incidences of stroke & other brain trauma cases in the country. In 2014 more than 12% of TBI cases from motor vehicle accidents occurred in Westmoreland. 
2. The Savanna-La-Mar Public General Hospital, the only public hospital in the parish is not equipped with any specialist diagnostic equipment to detect, diagnose or treat stroke or other brain injuries.
3. The Public General hospital does not have the facility infrastructure for specialized stroke diagnosis, treatment or rehabilitation support.
4. The nursing staff is not yet trained in areas of specialized Neuro-psych Nursing or any palliative stroke /TBI nursing care.
5. There is no Neurologist, Neuro-interventional Radiologist, or Neuropsychologist on staff at the Hospital.
6. The residents of Westmoreland, especially from the very Western end have to travel almost one hundred miles to private diagnostic imaging facilities in Montego Bay to the Cornwall Regional Hospital or even Mandeville and Kingston for stroke and TBI diagnosis, surgery and follow up treatment including outpatient stroke recovery and brain trauma rehabilitation.
7. Limited Ministry of Health data shows a high mortality rate for stroke and TBI patients especially among females for strokes, and young adult males for TBI.
8. There is no local or national registry for stroke and TBI victims and survivors. 
9. There is no support group for people in need of follow up support and encouragement.
10. There are no facilities where stroke survivors and their caregivers can go for education and awareness, and recreational rehab services.
11. There is no formal stroke/TBI education in the hospital, health centres, schools, churches, and communities.

Cultural Awareness to Rehabilitation in Jamaica

Brain Injury Facts and Stats for Westmoreland

In 2014 traumatic brain injury killed more people in Westmoreland than any other parish. It disabled thousands of people, mostly the elderly and youths, in the parish of Westmoreland. Motor vehicle including mothorcycle accidents leave hundreds of young people under the age of thirty with debilitating life altering situations as a result of brain trauma.

We identified 5 Groups with the highest risk factors for traumatic brain injury:

• 1.  Seniors have increasing numbers of traumatic brain injury due to falls  - most go unnoticed with no medical intervention.

• 2.  Males (about 1.5 times as likely as females to sustain a brain injury) - think about the youths  who ride motor cycles or even regular bicycles.

• Young children or teenagers (especially infants to 4-year-olds and 15–19-year-olds) - sports injuries are serious. When that kid falls off the bike and hits his head, it's no joke. Later on he is labeled a 'dunce' when he has a head injury that was never treated.  Where are the helmets?

• Engaging in high risk work or recreation activities - construction workers especially those who don't wear hard hats.

• Operators of motor vehicles and motor cycles, especially those in the rural areas. Negril , Sheffield, Little London has a high incidence of motor cycle accident brain trauma incidents. We have not seen much helmets in use. Have you?