Our health system is of paramount importance to our country and its citizens. Therefore, as a concerned citizen, I have taken this opportunity to respond to a health article written by Dwyer Astaphan.
This article is to express my disgust at the one he wrote, “Health Problems And Solutions”, as it seems to not question the education and training of Cuban graduates but cause doubts on the Cuban health system and Cuban professionals working here and all over the world. I am of the view that Dwyer is just the messenger or vessel and there are persons behind pushing him.
Firstly, he is insinuating that only doctors who studied on Canada, USA, England and the West Indies are properly trained and have the requisite skills and ability to enhance our health system. For now, I would leave that part for the Cuban Alumni and Cuban graduates to address, but I would like to remind him that Dr. Terrance Drew was also trained in Cuba.
I would like Dwyer and the people hiding behind him to answer the following questions:
1. Was not Dwyer a part of the former administration which sanctioned poor people going to Cuba to study? Did he object then or questioned their training?
2. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for the deteriorating health sector which has been doing so over a number of years under the administrative body that is still in place?
3. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for the nurses not being allowed to further their studies whenever they try to elevate themselves?
4. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for the hospital’s kitchen that badly needs repairs?
5. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for the lack of common medications that are needed in hospitals and health centers for over a year now?
6. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for not maintaining the wards at the hospitals?
7. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for the poor state of the Mary Charles Hospital?
8. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for the security breaches at the Joseph N France General Hospital?
9. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for an Urologist who works in the Federation and cannot use the theatre at the Joseph N France Hospital which causes patients to travel to Nevis for treatment?
10. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for the staff’s low morale at the Joseph N France Hospital?
11. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for Dr. Drew repeatedly saying that for some time now he was going to resign because he was not comfortable with the manner in which the hospital and the health system are being managed?
12. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for Dr. Bichara Sahely not having a back-up?
13. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for Dr. Wilkinson having stress when over the past six years no other private surgeon was allowed to operate in St. Kitts?
14. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for the other surgeons who were on contract to permanently terminate their contract?
15. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for many nurses leaving the profession at such a rapid pace?
16. Are the Cuban graduates responsible for some doctors being hostile to Cuban graduates working at the hospital, as they have been constantly disrespected on a daily basis? Where is the medical ethics?
One must realize that the woes of the health system have long been coming and the real culprits are those who are in administration. People voted Unity for a change in health not to maintain the status. I must admit that those in administration have given the impression that they have changed their political allegiance to the Unity Government. However, if they were part of the problem they cannot be a part of the solution.
We need a fresh start in health. Some may say that the Permanent Secretary in health is a well known friend of the Junior Minister, but our health system deserves more than that. Our health system needs a fresh start and, Honourable Minister Hamilton, the health system rests solely on you with the assistance of the Honourable Phipps.
I would like to end the first part of my response at this point as I will continue to dissect the article of my good friend Dwyer and his friends.
A Unity Supporter
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