THA: Scarborough hospital specialists on duty

Dr Agatha Carrington, Secretary for Health, Wellness and Family Development, Tobago House of Assembly (THA), yesterday assured services at Scarborough General Hospital are not being compromised.

This follows concerns by a medical intern, Dr Rufaro Celestine, that the hospital would have had to be placed on emergency mode because of what he considered to be its inability to provide specialist medical care for adult patients.

In a statement posted on social media, Celestine said the head of the department of internal medicine fell ill early Friday evening and as such, was unable to provide specialist cover for patients at the hospital.

Celestine noted several registrars and acting registrars were either sick, on leave or out of the country.

He claimed only Dr Je Vaughn Clarke, a locum house officer, and an intern were the only doctors covering the Department of Internal Medicine.

"I wish that I could personally assist the Department of Internal Medicine by providing specialist cover during this critical period but I am a specialist in public health medicine and I am not medico-legally able to do this as I have no expertise in this area," Celestine had said in statement.

Carrington said, however, there were two consultants in the Department of Medicine, yesterday.

She confirmed the head of the department did fall ill while at work on Friday.

"But the two remaining consultants, one is pregnant and ill. The other is on long leave and was not available to report for duty. There are four registrars of which two are on leave," Carrington said.

She said as of yesterday arrangements were made to provide specialist coverage for the department of medicine and a registrar was expected to report for duty to provide additional clinical support.

"All other departments at the Scarborough General Hospital have specialist supervision."

She said the emergency room has six consultants, two full-time, four part-time.

For example, she said general surgery, has two consultants, while anaesthesiology has four and paediatrics, two.

Carrington said while there have been some challenges with respect to diagnostic services and equipment "the situation is rapidly improving."

She said the CT scan has been functioning for the past three weeks.

Tobago Chamber of Commerce chairman Martin George, meanwhile, noted the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) does not fall under the direction and control of the Minister of Health.

He said according to the provisions of the Fifth Schedule of the THA Act No 40 of 1996, matters concerning health in Tobago fall under the purview of the THA and the TRHA falls under the purview of the THA.

"So, then, if we have been cut adrift from the oversight, monitoring and control of the Ministry of Health, is there a need, separate and apart from the THA's Division of Health for something along the lines of a THA Medical Council or an independent Tobago Medical Council?" George asked.

He said the team would comprise independent medical specialists, surgical experts and public health care professionals hired by the THA and responsible for overall monitoring, supervising, reviewing and oversight over the actions and functions of the TRHA so as to improve health care standards and delivery in Tobago.