peter.christopher@guardian.co.tt
The United National Congress (UNC) has called for the resignation of the chief executive officer of the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) Davlin Thomas following his contentious claims that a change in rotation prompted a 60 decrease in the mortality rate of COVID-19 patients and a 25 per cent decrease in discharges.
In the Opposition’s weekly media briefing yesterday, Senator Wade Mark cited Thomas’ managerial negligence as the reason he should leave the post.
“We in the United National Congress are calling for the immediate resignation of Davlin Thomas, the CEO for managerial negligence,” said Mark.
Thomas’ statement has been disputed by both the Trinidad and Tobago Medical Association and the Registered Nurses Association.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram and Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh also distanced themselves from the statement that was issued Saturday morning.
Mark, joined in the chorus of those questioning the veracity of the figures cited by the NCRHA head.
“Where is the CEO’s evidence of a reduction in mortality due to a new team of doctors. We asked Mr Thomas, where is the evidence? Where is the proof?” asked Mark who also noted that there had been significant transfers of COVID-19 patients out of the public health system to other facilities and asked if this was the backbone of Thomas’s claim.
“This would be gross misrepresentation of medical data and should be strongly rebuked, and roundly condemned by the country and its population,” he said.
“Too many innocent lives are being snatched away on a daily basis because of this dangerous, manipulation of data and statistics,” said Mark.
Also during the press briefing, Naparima MP Rodney Charles continued to question the decision to place restrictions on food sales given the Prime Minister’s decision to stop the sale of pre-packaged food at groceries and pharmacies.
He asked if there had been evidence to suggest that the sale of food, even from curbside vendors had contributed to a rise in cases.
“Up to this day, the population does not know and cannot tell whether curbside sales of food are bigger triggers of spread than indoor dining, the state of New York knows that and they have developed a policy with respect to that some time ago,” said Charles.
“What is the risk factors in selling doubles if all protocols are observed. What about the data?” he asked.
Charles said the government needed to properly confirm when the herd immunity would be achieved if they sought to stop the spread of the virus in the country.