SWRHA to get fourth CEO in 4 years

THE South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) will get its fourth CEO in four years, on Monday.

But a former chairman Dr Lackram Bodoe – the Fyzabad MP – thinks it’s too late for his colleague Dr Brian Armour, a former county medical officer of health, to make a difference.

Armour will be the fourth person to sit in the hot seat, under the tenure of the People’s National Movement (PNM).

He replaces Keith Mc Donald who declined comment on his departure when Newsday approached him recently. Dr Pravinde Ramoutar has been acting in the CEO’s position.

Mc Donald’s predecessors were Gail Miller Meade – SWRHA's general manager, finance and supply chain – Anil Gosine.

Former medical director Dr Anand Chatoorgoon, via text messages, shared his disapproval to Armour’s appointment to Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh and SWRHA chairman Valerie Alleyne-Rawlins

During his budget contribution in the Parliament on Friday, Bodoe questioned how the region could have deteriorated so quickly in four short years.

Bodoe said people are unable to get basic drugs, supplies or beds and observed the long waiting times of the past had returned to the Accident and Emergency Department

“This SWRHA board is so busy hiring and firing CEOs they have no time to focus on policymaking and overseeing management. They are spending all the time in the interview room and not in the emergency room where they can observe and learn, so as to provide better leadership," Bodoe said.

He used the health sector to illustrate his point, and said although the Parliament approved over $200 billion, since 2015, to public health, the money has not improved citizens' lives.

He said at San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH), 40 female patients have been waiting for more than three months for a colposcopy (a cervical diagnostic procedure) because a part costing less than $10 has not been procured.

He said the procedure either rules out, of prescribes further investigation following an abnormal pap smear.

“I don’t expect the minister to go out and buy the item. I do not blame him, but I expect him to appoint a competent board of directors to oversee and ensure effective management of the RHAs.”

Bodoe said after four years and a contract, which was awarded in 2015, the board is still challenged to repair the roof in the labour ward.

He said the oncology department, established in 2012 by former health minister Dr Fuad Khan, was in jeopardy of closing down and sending cancer patients back to St James cancer treatment centre, due to the resignation of US-trained consultant oncologist Dr Vinay Minocha.

However, following his statement in Parliament, Dr Ramoutar told Sunday Newsday the department was functioning as two doctors from St James were now providing the services.

Bodoe, also spoke about what he described as the poor hiring practice at the SWRHA, and asked Deyalsingh if he was aware that a newly employed manager in the human resources department was asked to resign after an audit discovered he had submitted false qualifications.

“Another manager occupying a senior position may face the same fate when that employee’s qualification is audited,” Bodoe said.

He said the wrong people at the helm were causing a negative impact on the delivery of health care.