Amidst escalating tension in the health sector, the Public Services Association (PSA) has teamed up with the Medical Professionals Association to fight the suspension and treatment of medical staff.PSA president Watson Duke said yesterday doctors are expected to make a powerful showing of solidarity at the PSA's Blackout Monday on March 21 in San Fernando.The Black March scheduled Monday for 8 am from Harris Promenade is the first of a series of actions to be taken to develop a rescue plan for the health sector.Doctors are expected to join the march, Duke said,after a meeting with MPATT yesterday. MPATT's Dr Shehenaz Mohammed said after a meeting with their lawyers over this weekend, they will make their position clear whether or not they will join with the PSA on Monday.
She admitted that doctors are demotivated, demoralised, abused and depressed following the suspension of five of their colleagues from the San Fernando General Hospital following the death of Chrystal Bodoe-Ramsoomair at the maternity ward on March 4.Mohammed said the doctors are concerned that the public is now perceiving them as criminals and it is difficult for them to function at this present time.She said the association is in full support of the suspended doctors and nurses and do not think proper procedure was followed. She indicated their intention to pursue legal action in the matter which she described as unlawful and unjustified.
Duke told reporters at a separate news conference held at the San Fernando General Hospital yesterday, "We are working together to develop a rescue plan, not only for doctors and nurses in the south, but throughout the country."We have had enough. This time is going to be bitter. Let those who sit on the high chair called power, sit up on Monday and take note. Health care will not be the same," he vowed.Duke said the health care professionals who have been suspended should have been presumed innocent and treated as such.He pointed out that the action of the Board of the South West Regional Health Authority and the Minister of Health have criminalised them when the government should take the blame for failing to provide medicine and basic facilities to take care of the sick. (YW)