I disagree with Dr Manning-Alleyne

THE EDITOR: Referring to the bacterial infection which the seven month-old babies died from earlier this month, neonatal care specialist Dr Petronella Manning-Alleyne said, “I don’t know anything about those organisms. They did not exist when I was working in the hospital.” (Newsday 30 April, 2024.)

That was the utterance of Dr Manning-Alleyne, speaking to a media house, as an authority on neonatal intensive care. Are these really the words of a professional, or a political apologist?

The goodly doctor also went on to berate the legal counsel that the parents sought after the tragedies of their infants’ deaths. Imagine the parents’ constitutional right to seek counsel is being berated and demonised. Such disgrace!

I expect no human being in their right mind to allow seeing their children in a good state of health, lose their life and not seek answers. With the lack of transparency and with the state of the country under this administration, to the average citizen, there was no other option than to send pre action protocol letters and eventually haul the Regional Health Authority to court.

To the doctor, you may not understand, but these parents are actually patriots. They are seeking genuine answers for their children’s deaths and by doing so may save many hundreds of neonates from the incompetency of those whose sacred task is to care for them.

I pray that the parents receive the justice they seek.

I pray that professionals should not come across as apologists for failing institutions. The nation expects better of you.

GANESHAM GOPICHAND

Port of Spain