In the ongoing saga at San Fernando General Hospital, acting Medical Director Dr Anand Chatoorgoon is next in line to get the axe, when his contract ends on March 31, leaving behind 31 years of service at this institution.Indication of his removal from the top post comes one day after the South West Regional Health Authority sacked its former CEO Paula Chester-Cumberbatch over her failure to carry out an instruction to issue suspension letters to five doctors and five nurses.The very vocal Chatoorgoon who has publicly spoken out against the procedure used to suspend staff over the botched C-section of Crystal Bodoo-Ramsoomair, and the subsequent firing of Chester-Cumberbatch, said he knew it was only a matter of time before it came to this.
"I got a call from the General Manager Human Resources, this morning (Friday) informing me that at a meeting of the board yesterday evening (Thursday), the decision was taken for my contract not to be extended, " Chatoorgoon said in an interview yesterday.An anaesthetist by profession, Chatoorgoon, who has worked at the San Fernando General Hospital since 1981, said he had the option to return to his substantive post as an anaesthetist in the Intensive Care Department from April 1.
He noted, however, that his contract as an anaesthetist also ended on April 20, and he was considering his option to stay until this date or go on leave.He said in the next two weeks, the post of Medical Director would be advertised and potential candidates would be interviewed.He has the option to apply, but Chatoorgoon said he would certainly not do so."I will not be among those applying because I will not be comfortable working with an administration which has functioned so unlawfully, so unreasonably and so wrongly," he said.
He said the manner in which the board handled the suspension of the doctors and nurses and the termination of the CEO was wrong."I certainly cannot support such actions. I cannot maintain my silence," he said.Chatoorgoon called on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to intervene and reinstate Chester-Cumberbatch, who has indicated her intention to pursue legal action in this matter, and to remove the Minister of Health Therese Baptiste-Cornelis."If they want blood, take mine," he said, pointing out that he felt guilty because he advised Chester-Cumberbatch to delay the issuance of the suspension letters to ensure everyone involved was protected.
He charged that Baptiste-Cornelis forced the former CEO to issue the suspension letters, when there was no urgency to do so because the doctors were already removed from the hospital, after the directive on the Friday before."Paula Chester-Cumberbatch did an excellent job...She ran the ship where we had no board and she did a marvellous job," Chatoorgoon said."I honestly do believe this Minister of Health does not understand how sensitive health issues are and the way she is going about doing things, I honestly do not think she is suitable for this job."