Reports are that the health sector in T&T reached reached 'critical proportions a long time ago.' Nothing surprising there; I worked in the health sector for a few years and since 1990 I met the same situation time and time again. Imagine that even back then we did not have paper to write reports. We used the clear backs of old computerised paysheets that were deemed 'no longer needed'.
Reports that this situation extends even further back is not that surprising either. One wonders how the hell Pa-trick, Tattoo, Bank Thief, and others can fully justify buying a jet at this time when people don't even have a bed to lie in at the hospitals, or drugs to help them.
Then again, maybe I can't understand since I do not have the PNM mentality.
One difference that is glaring between Trinidad & Tobago and the UK:
Primary care here is excellent compared to that of T&T. On the occasions I had to go to the doctor, I called and booked an appointment, usually same day. Calling at 8:00 AM can get me an appointment at lunchtime or evening, or I can walk in and wait to see the duty doctor (who is rotated daily).
When the 'surgery' opens at 8:00 AM, doctors are already there, and having 8 or so doctors there is a big help. I add here that my 'surgery' is smaller than the Oxford Street Health Centre, more like the rural ones at Penal, La Romaine or Pleasantville.
But the doctors are pleasant, and efficient. Patients can go for one or most two complaints at any one time; no more. Scheduled 15 minutes apart, the patients are rapidly dealt with and sent on their way. (I know doctors in Trinidad spend less time per patient). Many of the doctors at my 'surgery' are specialists holding several degrees at post graduate level.
Contrast that with Trinidad. Doctors (MBBS physicians) at health centres have private practices which they attend to at 8:00 AM. Then they leave their office to go to the health centres at about 10:00 AM. Once there, they see about 80 patients (if so many remains after getting fed up waiting, since they have to go from 6:00 AM to get a number) in less than half hour. Most of these will be referred back to the doctors' private practice where they will pay for treatment.
Also, the doctors charge for filling in forms (insurance, sick leave etc) which are meant to be done for free.
Long before 11:00 AM the doctor is back in his private office waiting on the health centre patients to turn up. Oh, and he does this one day per week.
He may also double as the DMO (District Medical Officer) and in event of murders etc he has to see the body and pronounce death before it can be moved. Usually it takes 4 to 8 hours for him to turn up at the scene.
It is not only a lack of resources that defeat good health care in Trinidad. It is the mentality of the professional who use the poor people; from Pa-trick et al, to the doctors and care workers. Screw them well.
1 Comments:
The descriptions of heatlh care in T&T are accurate to my memory of what existed back around 1988. If it is any thing near to that - as it seems - then that blasted country is court in a time warp. Buh who cares - once dey have dey carnaval and dey could wine dong dee place - man every body happy. Haaapppeeeee!!! Yippeee!!!
Health care in England as you describe it, is what I know of it. Civilised.
Dr Stephen Ramroop (new Medical Director) at S'GH recently tried to introduce 'management' responsibilities to doctors dong dey. Well guess what? Rebellion. Dey report dee man to Ministry - and guess what? Ministry pull out dey big stick - big investigation an' t'ing. All the Dr Ramroop was trying to do was bring these dam lazy jackasses into the 21st Century. But nah - dem doctors say 'We eh ha not'ing to do wid managment...we only doin' clinical'. Such backwardness. What Ministry should have done was to fire dey ass pronto pronto, instead of calling Dr Ramroop to big high powered meeting. Ah mean gih dee man some slack. But nah dey want every flipping body to be a puppet. Anyway, I eh know how the situation was settled. Sometimes I do have fantasies of using bull-pistle on some people. Look, is only a fantasy - okay.
Sometimes there are three four and five sides to a story. MPATT for example has been labelled as an activist group - and in general many people in T&T hate MPATT. But I know someo the people in MPATT. These are probably some of the most brilliant people in the world. They had facts and figures to put leather in the Government arse. Buh guess what -they were muzzled. Not only that MPATT suffered its own leadership crises. So it doh matter how much brains yuh have if yuh cyah muster yuh forces and direct dem - yuh dogs dead.
And all dis t'ing about phillipino norses and hungarian doctors etc etc - smoke screen. It was a blasted smoke screen for Cubans. Look, nah man. Dee agenda is quite clear to me. Force Spanish dong dey throat, force een some Cubans to make dee point - then diffuse the whole issue by importing from other parts of the world. Why? Why with only some 2000 people in T&T speaking Spanish must Spanish become the second language? Eh - yuh eh figure it out or what. Whey yuh t'ink Manning flying orf tuh Cuba so much for. Whuh - yuh thought he was getting Spanish lessons ova dey or what? No - wake up an' smell dee corfeee boy. Dee man was probably getting lessons on how to be a dictator.
All this Spanish crap - and spanish speaking health force was to ensure dat eef dey was a coup dee Cubans would a jump een and support - you know whoooo. And all dem Cuban doctors woulda care for all dee wounded Cuban militia. Make Cyastro feel nice, nah. Yuh know wha' a mean.
Right - some ah allyuh t'ink ah kicksin. Watch - when crapeaud smoke allyuh pipe remember dis chupit fella called Captain Walker. He go be in anodda sunny place having a big flecking laugh.
So development or under-development of the health service is not a mere accident my friends - it is part of a grand plan. You'll see. Wait right dey, you will see.
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