What about street dwellers and prisoners?

The country has been informed through the press that we have four confirmed covid19 cases. What measures have been taken by public health authorities to contain the spread of infection?

We have an increasing segment of homeless, destitute people who populate our streets and public spaces spread across and concentrated within our major urban centers. What public health measures are we taking to monitor this population? Has there been an increase in illness among our homeless? Has public health personnel been deployed to follow this?

Should there be an upsurge of unexplained deaths or illness within this vulnerable captive population, what contingency plans are there in place to deal with this? Should there be an increase in unexplained illness among the homeless, are there contingency plans in place to institutionalize them? If so, where and how?

As it stands, our prisons are overcrowded, unsanitary and in a state of dilapidation. Are prisoners being screened? What are the preventive measures in place to minimise the spread within the prison systemn of infectivity? Are there public health measures in place to treat with the vulnerable prison population?

Which prison infirmary facility has been outfitted and equipped to handle potential cases? Indeed, our public hospitals across the board are also already overburdened with chronically ill patients who require specialised hospital care. As it is, patients have to remain in crowded A&E departments mingling with every other sick people.

And although the previous UNC administration had the compassion and foresight to add 300 beds to the San Fernando General Hospital, it remains overcrowded. Former prime minister Persad-Bissessar also had the vision to gift us with a well-equipped, 230-bed state-of-the-art hospital at Couva. Politics truly can claim to have a morality of its own!

STEVE SMITH

Via e-mail