BYisrael: Tobago healthcare system a priority

The management of the covid19 pandemic in Tobago is a priority for the Progressive Democratic Patriot’s (PDP) choice for THA health secretary, Dr Faith BYisrael.

Speaking on WESN on Wednesday, BYisrael said it is necessary for the people of Tobago to stay healthy right now.

“The data in Tobago is a little difficult to deal with. We only have one hospital that seems to be on the brink of shutdown right now, so that is going to be a priority for me as Secretary of Health – to ensure that we get our healthcare system to respond in a way that works for everybody and to ensure that we’re able to provide the kind of service that is necessary for the people of Tobago to stay healthy right now.

"So that is certainly priority number one for me specifically, because that is a dire, dire, dire situation right now,”

She said the country cannot afford for the island’s healthcare to crumble.

“The same way the Ministry of Health within the last year, year and a half, really requested the additional resources that is necessary to ensure that the healthcare system in Trinidad stayed afloat, we may have to do that and we’re hoping that we get the support that is absolutely necessary to ensure that our healthcare system stays on top of the ball in Tobago. TT can’t afford for Tobago’s healthcare system to completely crumble, and that seems to be where it's heading,”

She added: “We know that there are individuals in Tobago who have not been reached, who have not been tapped. And so we’re trying to get the support in Tobago, and if we need to go to Trinidad, if we need to go elsewhere, we are going to do what needs to be done to ensure that the healthcare system stands up in Tobago.”

She said the technical capacity is available on the island.

“I have a doctoral degree in public health and those in charge before simply refused to even utilise my services – and there are other people just like me who have skills, who have technical capacity, who may have been retired or may have just come out of school and are unemployed and ready and waiting to be a part of the solution. So yes, we do have technical capacity here that we need to strategise what we do and determine the resources that are needed and get those resources.”

She was expected to be sworn in as secretary on Friday and intends to hit the ground running.

“We had somebody who did not understand public health, who did not understand infection control and who was not willing to make critical decisions and those decisions – I think because I have a clearer understanding of what needs to happen – those decisions will be made by the executive in the Tobago House of Assembly which would work towards getting additional resources if necessary and so force to ensure that we implementation of what is needed is practical.”

On Thursday, the THA Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development reported that the island’s covid19 death toll had climbed to 140 after two people with comorbidities died overnight. The latest fatalities are two women, 90 and 50.

Fifty-one new covid19 cases was recorded, bringing active cases to 996.

It said 62 patients are now in state isolation, 927 in home isolation, seven in ICU and six patients have been discharged.

To date a total of 19,815 people have been tested for covid19 in Tobago, of whom 4,556 have tested positive.

The division said 23,473 people in Tobago have been partially vaccinated and 22,507 are fully vaccinated.