Some people have called for the head of the Minister of Health Therese Baptiste–Cornelis based on her handling of the suspension of the doctors and nurses involved in the botched C-section at the San Fernando General Hospital that resulted in the death of an expectant mother. Some have even suggested that the entire Ministry should be placed in rehab. The Ministry of Health, contrary to some opposition, is on the threshold of becoming one of the best performing ministries in our island. At present, It is just symptomatic of the state of all the ministries in Trinidad and Tobago. Ms Cornelis has a serious understanding of the problems in health. She is trying to remove the quagmire of inefficiency and lethargy that had characterised the health ministry for decades.
The old people have a saying: people do not throw stones at green mangoes. Baptiste-Cornelis has a strategic plan for her Ministry, no other ministry has one. She herself has said that she should be judged on her performance and not when she misspeaks. She is a mover and a shaker. For far too long the systems in health have been archaic and out of step with the demands of the people. She is trying to bring the services to an acceptable level for the people. For those who are asking for a reshuffling of Cabinet, I challenge anyone to name a Ministry that is operating better than the Ministry of Health. Can we transfer or register an automobile at the Licensing Office within two hours? Can we get an appointment and obtain a passport within 30 days? Can we go to any Government office and not view it as a harrowing experience? I rest my case.
Do not even try to replace the present Minister of Health with a doctor. It does not take a doctor to ensure patients are attended to in a timely manner in the Accident and Emergency departments at hospitals.
It does not take a doctor to ensure at least a gynecologist is present in the maternity ward for expectant mothers' safe delivery. It does not take a doctor to issue an advisory against travelling to Venezuela which has 400 confirmed cases of swine flu and to evaluate all persons returning from there.
It does not take a doctor to ensure that important drugs coming from overseas are authentic and not placebos. It does not take a doctor to ensure health facilities are fully utilised and are not white elephants as the Siparia Health Facility.
Sorry, DrTim Goopeesingh, stay in education where you have a genuine passion to improve systems, just as the Minister of Health. Give the Health Minister a chance to implement all of her theories about management that she has been lecturing at the University of the West Indies. The people of this country would benefit from an improved health care system of the 21st century. What we are experiencing now in the Health system is just the normal resistance to change. So madam minister, you go girl!
John Jessamy
Fyzabad