Gopeesingh applauds government for upping covid19 testing

Oppostion MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh welcomes the government’s decision to partner with certified private labs to widen the scope of testing for covid19.

This came after Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh announced, on Tuesday morning at a virtual media press conference that government will certify and partner with private labs. He said the Caribbean Public Health Agency(CARPHA) will validate which labs are suitable to do the tests.

In a release on Tuesday, the Caroni East MP said the opposition has advocated for increased testing for almost three weeks. He said this will result in a significant reduction of morbidity and mortality of the virus, as recorded in South Korea following the World Health Organisation’s mantra of tracing, testing and treating. “It is our fervent wish that the implementation of this approach is urgent and swift for the benefit of the health and safety of all citizens.”

He also called on the ministry to ensure there are enough ventilators for intensive care units and an adequate amount of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for frontline healthcare workers.

Gopeesingh said there is not enough information about the safety of health care workers and proper care for patients needing intensive care. He said, “In TT approximately 800 have been tested (0.06 per cent), 100 times less than the US on a per capita basis, and with a death rate of near nine per cent, three times the death rate of the USA.” As a former clinical dean and associate professor of the UWI School of Medicine, he praised the government’s decision that non-essential workers should stay home and its repeated calls for proper hygiene, social distancing, and wearing masks outdoors.

“The opposition will continue without fear or favour to ensure that the Government remains accountable and provides the best crisis management practices and procedures to minimise infected patients and loss of life in these unprecedented times,” Gopeesingh said.