The original article can be found on: Trinidad Express By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE policy that prevents paramedics from stopping roadside to help people in need will be changed to ensure that no one in such a situation will ever again be refused medical care, regardless of the circumstances.
This was the pledge given yesterday by Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan, who had expressed disgust over what he described as the inhumane behaviour of the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) who did not provide assistance to Stacy Simon and her dying son Akhail, last Friday.
The 21-month-old infant, who suffered from Down’s Syndrome, was being taken to hospital in a private car which broke down in La Romaine. The mother stopped a passing ambulance but personnel said they could not help. The boy was eventually taken to hospital by a good samaritan and pronounced dead on arrival. An autopsy found he died from cardio respiratory arrest.
Chief executive officer of the South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) Anil Gosine confirmed that it was one of the authority’s ambulances involved in the incident. He said the personnel aboard the ambulance were just following policy and it was up to Khan to change it.
Khan said a meeting was held yesterday with the ministry’s officials to discuss the issue and indicated that there was no written policy on such a matter.
He said, “The legislation dictates that there are different grades of ambulance. I have directed the executive to bring me some information concerning these grades of ambulances and what they are supposed to contain. I am going to change the policy so that whatever happened will not happen again.”The minister said the reports should have been completed yesterday and the new policy should be implemented “very soon”.
Khan said all ambulances, whether privately owned, State-owned or contracted, will have to adhere to the policy.
“An ambulance means that you have everything in there to take care of a person in need.You don’t know when somebody in need will require certain equipment and certain efficiencies. So once you put the word ambulance on your vehicle, it has to have the basic equipment and qualified personnel. If you don’t have that then they will have to call it something else.”
Told of Dr Khan’s decision, Gosine agreed that change should be made to better serve the public.
