Medical practitioner and president of the Rotary Club of New Kingston, Dr William Aiken, has joined those expressing concern about how some pregnant women are treated at public health facilities.
With several horror stories from mothers over the year, Aiken recently argued that there is some truth to these claims.
"I also know from what I have heard and what I have seen with my own two eyes that women who come from lower socio-economic strata are really treated very poorly sometimes by both the doctors and the nurses," said Aiken during a forum looking at patients' rights and responsibilities at the University of the West Indies Medical Sciences building.
"They are spoken to in very derogatory ways, they are spoken to as if they are not persons with dignity, and so, there is sometimes very little compassion, especially for the teenage mothers, they are treated very disrespectfully," added Aiken.
The forum was organised by the Women Resource and Outreach Centre and the UWI to coordinate efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality under a programme being funded by the European Union.
Aiken noted that maternal and child health is one of the focuses of the Rotary Club, and has pledged his club's commitment to assist with the financing of equipment needed in these areas.