The Medical Professionals Association of TT has asked Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan to launch an independent investigation into the failure of the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) to provide a craniotomy drill despite requests by the Neurosurgery department of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital.
The matter was raised at a meeting with Khan and other senior health officials last Wednesday.
In a release MPATT said Khan was informed “by letters produced by the Neurosurgery unit at PoSGH, that the administration, including the theatre manager, was written to since August 24, 2011, advising that there was no reliably operating high speed drill at PoSGH.”
Other letters were written and on March 12, the administration was told that the drill in use was unserviceable and could not be repaired.
“MPATT expressed absolute abhorrence to the Minister that it was only after the media reported the absence of a drill, that the administration of NWRHA responded by the emergency purchase of a drill.”MPATT Vice-president Dr Ravi Narine who was at the meeting told Khan that the unit only had a hand drill. He told the minister of his concerns that during this time and despite weekly oral complaints to the theatre manager, nothing was done for eight months. In asking for an independent investigation, MPATT reminded that the PoSGH was assigned to be the Neurosurgery Centre for the country by memo from former Chief Medical Officer, Dr Anton Cumberbatch, and is the only functioning unit in the country. “MPATT is awaiting the minister’s responses following his own initial investigations which we expect will lead to an independent enquiry,” the release said.
The union also raised the issue of the CEO of the NWRHA Judith Baliram-Ramoutar’s refusal for the union to meet with doctors on October 12 until board approval was given.
The position taken by the NWRHA was described as contrary to other RHAs and against good industrial relations practices.
“The Minister of Health agreed that MPATT is entitled to meet its members and he advised the acting CMO to write to MPATT to confirm this, and copy same to all RHA CEOs and Chairmen.”
