President Irfaan Ali yesterday took the Regional Health Officer for Region Six Vishalya Sharma to task after residents in Johanna complained of a shortage of drugs at various health institutions in the region.
Sharma was speechless during the president’s interrogation as the residents were insistent that the necessary drugs were not available at the Mibicuri Public Hospital, as well as health centres in the neighbouring communities and other major public hospitals in the region.
President Ali then directed his questions to the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Narinda Persaud, who said that he had purchased all the items according to the list supplied to him from the health department.
The resident, who first raised the issue and was supported by other residents, told the president, “Mibicuri Hospital, Port Mourant Hospital and New Amsterdam Hospital, what I know about when you go into them hospital [is] you can’t even get three quarter of the treatment for your sickness and whatever lil money we have from our pocket we got to take out to buy that drugs.”
President Ali interrupted the resident to question Sharma, who was part of the gathering. “You know there is a shortage here?” he asked to which Sharma seemed unable to properly respond.
“This is not what is communicated to us… we are investing to get drugs,” Ali continued, before noting that he had requested all the regional health officers to provide a list of the required drugs.
He then called on the Regional Chairman, David Armogan. “Chairman I am assured that you don’t have any shortage here; that was the last thing that was told to me.”
Another resident chimed in” “When you go to the hospital you hearing they don’t have drugs and on the television you hearing government spending so much for drugs.”
It was then the REO’s turn and he stated, “I purchased everything… There is nothing outstanding [from the list provided to him].”
Sharma finally answered and asserted that the supplies to the region from the Health Ministry’s Materials Management Unit were inadequate “even though they are supplying, the capacity is not a 100%.”
However, President Ali rebutted. “But that is not what is communicated to us. We asked for the shortage. You were at that meeting with me and this young lady is saying since January they don’t have the drugs.”
Yet another resident stated, “For gas, high blood pressure, we don’t know the names but they don’t have certain things every time you go. I have prescription I can show you.”
And another said, “Me went Monday for high pressure and me na get tablet, me had to buy. Mibicuri Hospital, I am clinic patient me only got to go out a road and buy.”
A visibly upset Ali told the residents that the situation was “ridiculous” and held it up as an example of how the system can fail its citizens.
The President then ordered Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall to head an investigation into the matter and provide him with the findings, after which action is expected to be taken.
