Government, Opposition feud over malaria, dengue

THERE were heated verbal exchanges between government and opposition MPs in the House of Representatives on June 21.

This happened after Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh accused the Opposition of being unpatriotic for claiming there was a malaria outbreak in Trinidad and Tobago.

Later in the sitting, Deyalsingh said the Opposition was guilty of the same offence for claiming that the ministry is treating hundreds of cases of dengue fever.

In response to a question from Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh about a malaria outbreak, Deyalsingh said the question "speaks to a lack of understanding as to what an outbreak is."

He added it also speaks to "what we continue to see, the unpatriotism of the UNC."

Deyalsingh told MPs, "Trinidad and Tobago continues to enjoy a malaria-free status as determined by WHO (World Health Organisation) since 1965 and to tell the international community there is a malaria outbreak is nothing more than unpatriotic."

He was interrupted as Indarsingh and other opposition MPs shouted inaudible comments at him.

The Prime Minister, Energy Minister Stuart Young, SC, and National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds shouted back at them, as they defended Deyalsingh.

This prompted Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George to call upon government and opposition MPs to restrain themselves.

"Order! Order!" she said as government and opposition MPs verbally engaged each other across the parliament floor.

Annisette-George instructed Dr Rowley and Indarsingh to stand up and apologise for their comments during the argument.

Rowley told Annisette-George, "I humbly apologise to you and my colleagues but enough is enough."

Government MPs thumped their desks as Rowley sat down.

Indarsingh told Annisette-George, "I apologise but I will not be accused of lying in the public's interest."

Annisette-George said, "I'm just going to caution everyone because it is one thing to say the wrong thing is being done but you repeat the wrong."

She reminded MPs that the word "lying" is unparliamentary.

"I know that sometimes members get very passionate but let's remember where we are. So I'll ask everybody to get their emotions under control and let's go about this sitting in the manner that we know we should conduct ourselves."

Annisette-George wondered whether the behaviour of some MPs was due to the imminent approach of the Parliament's annual mid-year recess which begins in July.

She reminded all MPs that the recess had not started yet.

Annisette-George allowed Deyalsingh to continue his reply to Indarsingh's question.

He said, "An outbreak is classified as any significant deviation from a base line or normal level of infection."

There were nine,14 and 11 confirmed malaria cases in TT in 2021, 2022 and 2023 respectively.

Deyalsingh said, "That gives you an average of 11 (malaria) cases per year."

He added there have been three confirmed malaria cases so far, for this year.

"How on earth can that be an outbreak?"

Deyalsingh said, "Our malaria-free status since 1965 is not to be trifled with by the UNC. Let me further state for the record, speaking to the experts, most if not all malaria cases are what you call imported cases. That is people go abroad to malaria endemic countries, get bitten by the Anopheles mosquito and bring back the malaria to TT."

He repeated this is why the WHO does not classify TT as "an endemic country for malaria."

Government MPs thumped their desks as Deyalsingh said, "To put on the record (of the parliament) by the UNC that we have an outbreak of malaria is untrue, diabolical and serves no useful purpose and lastly it is unpatriotic."

Later in the sitting, Indarsingh asked Deyalsingh to confirm whether the ministry is currently dealing with hundreds of dengue fever cases.

Deyalsingh replied, "I wish my friend (Indarsingh) did not go down there because again it speaks to the unpatriotism (of the UNC)."

Before he quoted the official number of dengue fever cases, Deyalsingh told MPs, "They are not in the hundreds."

As Indarsingh shouted across the parliament floor at him, Deyalsingh replied, "I am giving you the date."

Annisette-George cautioned Indarsingh.

"I am not going to tolerate any more outbreaks."

As Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal made an inaudible comment, Annisette-George asked him, "If you would also like me to shine some light on you."

She reminded all MPs, "I am on my legs for all who don't recognise (that)."

Deyalsingh said in January, February, March, April and May there were 17, 13, 19, 31 and 43 laboratory confirmed dengue fever cases respectively.

"A total over five months of 123. Where does the UNC get this from?"

Deyalsingh reminded MPs the cases he mentioned are lab confirmed and not suspected.

"But not the thousands that Couva South (Indarsingh) is speaking about"

He identified the counties of Victoria, Caroni and St Patrick as the locations of concern for dengue fever.

These counties, Deyalsingh said reported 29, 31 and 23 per cent of dengue cases respectively

He added that he has spoken with Rural Development and Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi, SC, about local government corporations doing their part to clear drains and any body of stagnant water which could serve as breeding grounds for the aedes egypti mosquito which spreads dengue.

Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee asked Deyalsingh if insect vector control units at the corporations have been funded to carry out their operations.

Deyalsingh said, "I cannot speak for any other minister. I have communicated with the honourable minister to do his part."

He reminded MPs that insect vector spraying is one activity used to curtail the spread of dengue.

Deyalsingh said the ministry encourages homeowners to do their part to curb the spread of dengue by eliminating all sources of stagnant water in their homes.

He added that the water in a bottle cap can contain 100 mosquito eggs.