Let’s raise the bar at health facilities

THE EDITOR: Congratulations and praise are in order for Dr Roshan Parasram (Chief Medical Officer – CMO) and team for ensuring the citizens of TT were on as safe a journey as possible through the covid19 pandemic in 2020.

The CMO’s narrative outlining how it happened was one of teamwork, empathy, selflessness and professionalism throughout. This, I believe, accounted for a remarkable work ethic. This ethic may have had the correct impact on state policies as it constructed an easy marital relationship of science and politics in our country.

For that reason, I heartily congratulate Prime Minister Dr Rowley for his leadership which showed confidence in the recommendations based on the scientific judgment from a team with such professional vigour.

However, in health facilities, eg, Port of Spain and San Fernando General Hospitals, competence and caring reflected in the CMO’s speech were not 100 per cent present. The public’s encounter has been dismal with improper cleaning of areas such as toilet facilities, elevators, waiting areas, beds, and so on. Thus showing evidence of little to no support for covid19 protocols in health facilities. The public was agonised.

Oddly enough, it was not uncommon to find hospital employees who resisted complaints with defensive remarks and impatience in spite of a clear public fear and anxiety over covid19 threats in general. “A-don’t-care” attitude was compelling.

I think, at best, this pandemic should encourage us to live with a real sense of understanding community responsibility. We look for workers and managers in the health settings to lead, affirming their role as members of the public health science sector.

I would imagine teaching and learning in this science would help induce an attitude that speaks to both the importance and significance of job efficacy. Banding as health employees in all categories of human resources would expose a joint mission that their environments are slated to sustain a healthy nation.

If an undesirable attitude of people in caring and housekeeping duties of the healthcare services is due to poor compensation, let research show this and advance the level of wages. It is time we recognise that people who undertake these jobs, which by their very nature are repulsive, must be made to feel equally a part of the health/science team. They must be made to feel the country’s health is also in their hands.

Labour and the State should address transformation of compensation to reflect relevance, which is mandatory to the protection of public health. Benefits and awards can be made commensurate with job performance and be included as a means of increasing motivation and developing a sense of belonging.

On the other hand, we the public need to advocate for these changes and make demands to support an improved status for workers associated with the maintenance of public health standards. Added to that, we must show full appreciation, empathy and respect to those assigned to a task of making us feel most comfortable.

If equity issues are on the front burner in 2021, let us raise the standards bar for cleaning and sanitation to enhance everybody’s living and for the good of our country.

DR YVONNE BOBB-SMITH

educator and librarian