Plea to Minister Deyalsingh

THE EDITOR: Dear honourable Health Minister Mr Deyalsingh, I attend the St James Hospital, NRC, on a regular basis as I am a cancer patient.

The toilets are in a deplorable condition, doors broken or doors which cannot lock, toilets and hand wash basins broken or unserviceable. Along with the above there is hardly ever water, soap or paper towels.

Notwithstanding these basic shortcomings in terms of amenities, each patient is at the hospital for several hours awaiting attention. We cancer patients have begun to walk with our own hygienic items to try and stay clean.

But the world has changed and a person's inability to wash hands could have catastrophic effects with the onset of their easily spread, potentially lethal covid19 virus. When last I was at the hospital, there was no soap, hand sanitizer or paper tissue.

How can I trust you to care for our nation's health, when basic necessities are not available or provided. It’s the small changes that could inspire greater change.

R. AMON

Via e-mail