As we rapidly approach 2,500 covid deaths, Keith Rowley must be held directly responsible for this national, historic tragedy.
The whistleblower report from the junior doctor at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, published in the Trinidad Express of 15 December 2021 is frightening.
The Government has clearly not provided adequate staffing and equipment to our front line workers. This is a disgrace, bordering on criminal, given that there are scores, perhaps hundreds, of unemployed and/or retired doctors willing to help, and $5 billion or $20 billion allocated for covid relief, which the Government keeps boasting about.
How can one doctor and one nurse be given responsibility for managing up to 60 Covid patients in a tent at any given time? If this is true, this is surely a recipe for disaster, since it is well known that Covid patients can deteriorate rapidly and die quickly if not given appropriate treatment.
Even more worrisome is the revelation that there is delay in switching oxygen tanks and a shortage of oxygen saturation monitors in these Covid tents.
The stories of these doctors having to witness so many unnecessary deaths is heartbreaking, and angering.
As the junior doctor stated, if these spaces are adequately resourced, more lives can be saved. The poor arrangements for rotation of doctors as revealed in this article shows complete malpractice at the the level of the NCRHA and poor oversight by the Minister of Health.
This tragic whistleblower account confirms the mismanagement to which United National Congress has been alerting the national community since May, when the death toll was approaching 500.
Despite being informed of these problems – not only by the Opposition, but by nurses, doctors, and the medical association – the PNM government not only did nothing, they stubbornly stood by their failed CEO Davlin Thomas, their failed Health Team and the failed Minister of Health.
Seven months later, under their collective failed leadership, we are now approaching 2,500 deaths.
This is what was meant when the Opposition Leader said in June (when we had reached 600 deaths), that continuing with these persons in charge was deadly, and amounted to premeditated, state-sanctioned murder.
These 2,500 deaths are not mere numbers. They are our mothers, our fathers, our brothers, our sisters, our friends, our work colleagues, our elders, our fellow citizens, with faces, lives, dreams, hopes, and life stories that have been needlessly and senselessly cut short.
The government cannot plead ignorance. As the Leader of Government – who often is the feature speaker at the national Health Briefings – Keith Rowley is directly culpable for these deaths.
In May, we told the Government to fire Davlin Thomas as CEO of the NCRHA for breaking up the senior medical team at a time when the ICU death rate was reported to be 100%. Keith Rowley did nothing.
In June, we told the Government to fire the failed Health Team and replace them with clinically-experienced, senior medical personnel. Keith Rowley did nothing.
In June, we told the Government to call a Commission of Inquiry to find out the reasons for the sudden spike in deaths. Keith Rowley did nothing.
Keith Rowley and his failed Health Team simply watched the daily death toll rise to now being the highest new covid death rate in the world (7-day rolling average).
This death rate is not because the covid-19 virus is more virulent in Trinidad and Tobago than it is anywhere else in the world. The same covid virus affects us all.
Rather, our world-leading covid death rate is because of the failed health care system under the PNM.
They said nothing and they did nothing. In fact, Rowley heartened his heart and doubled down, defending his deadly, failed team.
Now, it is time that the population must fire Keith Rowley. This is too much death to bear.
Keith Rowley has caused a two-year national tragedy with no end in sight. The Prime Minister must be held to account and be removed by the people, forthwith. How many more must die?