‘Somebody had to stay’ - Nurse Brown-Hull remains in Jamaica to serve her community

During the early years of her career--when many healthcare professionals were emigrating in search of better opportunities, particularly to the United States--Aylete Brown-Hull made the conscious decision to remain in Jamaica and serve her community.

A family nurse practitioner, Brown-Hull viewed her role not just as a job, but as a calling to meet the healthcare needs of her fellow Jamaicans.

"When I looked at the needs of the community, I saw that somebody had to stay... so I stayed," she said.

Brown-Hull began her journey at the Alexandria Community Hospital in St Ann on November 2, 1977, and remained there until January 31, 2018. Over the years, she held several positions that reflected both her personal growth and the transformation of healthcare delivery in Jamaica.

"I started as a registered general nurse in 1977 then I had my training as a registered midwife... we were called specialist nurses. I did administration and worked as the matron in charge of the facility. Then I did the nurse practitioner programme and worked as a family nurse practitioner from 2002 until my retirement," Brown-Hull said.

At the time she joined the public health sector, Alexandria Hospital was a robust facility, offering maternity and surgical wards, an operating theatre, X-ray and lab services, private rooms, and a blood bank. However, over the years, the institution was downgraded and eventually reclassified as a primary care facility, focusing on affordable and accessible services.

"Patients come from all over because this [hospital] serves 38,000 people from this community (Alexandria) as well as other communities such as Prickly Pole, Borobridge, Muirhouse, Bohemia, Clarksonville, Bethany, Lime Tree Gardens, and Grants Mountain," she noted.

Still, Brown-Hull remains hopeful that the hospital will one day return to its former glory. She is encouraged by a recent $212 million renovation under the Smart Health Initiative, which upgraded the maternity ward, trauma centre, administrative block, health records unit, and waiting areas. The improvements also included modern electrical systems, perimeter fencing, and enhanced waste management.

For Brown-Hull, the emphasis on prevention remains central to Alexandria Community Hospital's mission. She believes that early diagnosis and treatment of chronic illnesses can significantly reduce the risk of more severe health complications.