Caroni East MP, Rishad Seecheran said the historic High Court ruling on the failure of the Ministry of Health to provide specialised care to a deserving child is another graphic example of the lawlessness of the PNM Government.
The verdict of Justice Joan Charles exposes the chronic inefficiency in the Public Health Sector under the PNM’s administration.
Justice Charles upheld a judicial review application from a mother who sought redress for the lack of specialist medical attention for a child with birth defects associated with the Zika Virus.
The judge said that Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh and the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary did not carry out their duties under the Regional Health Authorities Act to institute comprehensive guidelines and protocols with respect to the child and others affected by Zika. The medical authorities had failed to publish and implement appropriate guidelines.
Seecheran said this landmark judgment exposes gross negligence, as well as the lack of duty of care to citizens accessing healthcare in the Public Health Sector under the current administration. Undoubtedly, there are many more such unfortunate examples, which may have affected the lives and even caused the deaths of innocent patients.”
“This typifies the uncaring and arrogant attitude to governance, that exists in Trinidad and Tobago.”
“It should also be noted that residents in Guayaguayare are pleading for improved access to medical care after complaints of no ambulance service available in Guayaguayare, and no doctors at the Mayaro Health Facility to attend to severely ill patients. This comes after tens of millions of addition funds were allocated to the Global Medical Response of Trinidad and Tobago in the Mid-Year Review. Minister Deyalsingh demonstrated that he has been unable to provide quality healthcare services in South-East Trinidad, despite enormous sums being allocated to the Ministry of Health,” Seecheran added.
He is now calling upon Minister Deyalsingh to insist that a thorough and time-bound review be conducted to ensure there is no recurrence of these gross failures in the Regional Health Authorities.
“I ask that the Minister provides such a firm assurance to the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” said Seecheran.