The Ministry of Health has summoned the bargaining agent for medical doctors to a meeting tomorrow to address the problems at the Queen Elizabeth
Hospital (QEH).
The President of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP), Dr Carlos Chase, told Barbados TODAY this afternoon that the Permanent Secretary Tennyson Springer had asked him to attend a meeting to discuss the issue.
Dr Carlos Chase
Dr Chase also said the BAMP Council was meeting this evening to further discuss matter and decide its next move.
Following an emergency meeting yesterday with its members, the BAMP president had said there was a shortage of basic and essential medical supplies at the hospital, which had reached crisis level.
Dr Chase had also put the public on notice that doctors would only be performing emergency procedures and surgeries and pleaded with the Government to urgently provide the necessary supplies to serve the patients attending the hospital.
Earlier today, the acting Director of the QEH, Louise Bobb, met with the Permanent Secretary to deal with the matter, but no details of those talks were released.
Meanwhile, people attending the QEH this morning expressed concern about the shortage of supplies and how this would impact them.
A 66 year old outpatient told Barbados TODAY he was sorry to hear what was happening at the hospital and suggested that this should not be taking place.
“It is worrying to me,” he said.
His 63 year old brother also commented on the situation saying “the doctors must have a case that they are taking this stand.
“The powers that be must make sure the people do their jobs and if this happens, things will work. We need action. The Government and people must make sure things work. It’s a hospital,” he declared.
He and his brother also suggested that the authorities should install collection boxes at the hospital and other places throughout Barbados where people could contribute money to help pay for medical supplies.
“Let them be properly managed,” echoed the two men.
A middle aged woman, who was visiting the QEH this morning, was of the view that the shortage of supplies was a terrible situation.
“I hope I don’t have to end up in here [hospital],” she added.
“It is hard, especially for old people I know who complain that they have to find $75 and $100 to buy medication and they can’t afford it. What has the Government done with my money? They squandered it?
“Now people have to pay another tax and that is putting pressure on pressure,” the woman lamented.
“[And] with the shortage now, and you don’t have money to go to private doctors, you die. You have to have money how ever you look at it,” she added.
The medical doctors have said that there are shortages in virtually every department of the hospital, including the neo-natal and surgical intensive care units and the Accident and Emergency Department.
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb