By Prior Beharry
ELEVEN doctors are calling for an independent inquiry as to why four of their senior colleagues have been “rotated” from the main Covid-19 hospital in Trinidad and Tobago.
A letter on Tuesday to the board of the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) signed by the doctors asked:
- That an independent and transparent inquiry as to why these physicians were removed and why the action was conducted in such a curious and undesirable manner;
- An apology to the doctors and an offer of reinstatement; and
- Clear feedback from the NCRHA and reassurance that this sort of episode will not repeated.
The letter stated that the doctors were concerned about the “sudden and unprecedented” decision by the NCRHA to remove four senior doctors from their positions at the Couva Hospital and Multi-Training Facility and reassign them to various institutions.
The doctors outlined the response by the NCRHA.
It noted that the chief executive officer Davlin Thomas in a release of the NCRHA on May 19 and in an interview in the media on May 20 stated that the rotation was requested by the Medical Chief of Staff of the Couva hospital Dr Don Martin.
But, the letter noted that Dr Martin refuted the claim as reported in an interview with the Express on May 22 when he said it was “critical” that the existing team remain in place.
The letter stated, “The four doctors who have been ‘rotated out’ comprises Dr Martin, Dr A Maccum and K Kernahan – three of the most senior doctors at Couva and Dr S Mohammed the only pulmonologist.
They doctors stated, “We have taken the decision to reach out to the board as we believe this is an issue of singular importance.”
They stated, “Firstly, it involves the removal of the most experienced physicians in our country in the care of patients with Covid-19 at a time when their services are most desperately needed.”
The letter noted, “This current wave has been acknowledged by the Ministry of Health as our worst to date and our nation is under a state or emergency.
“We find it concerning in the extreme that the NCRHA has taken the decision to remove these physicians at this time.”
The doctors who signed the letter included:
- Dr Fareed Ali, acting Head of Cardiovascular Services;
- Dr Nazim Boris, acting Head of Medicine;
- Dr Barbara Rampersad, Head of Paediatric Surgery and Neurosurgery;
- Dr Marlon Seenath, Head of General Surgery;
- Dr Rheana Sieunarine, Head of Anesthesia and Intensive Care;
- Dr Robbis Rampersad, acting Head of Radiology;
- Prof AVC Rao, Head of diagnostic Laboratory Services;
- Dr Camille Greene, Head of Department Paediatric Medicine;
- Dr Curtis Young Pong, Head of Specialty Surgery;
- Dr Sushil Devarashetty , Head of Department PICU; and
- Dr Paramanad Maharaj
