Senator Gopeesingh vows help for frustrated patients

OPPOSITION Senator Dr Tim Gopeesingh promised that a future UNC government would set up a helpline for frustrated hospital patients, as he claimed that many patients have been languishing for months – some even years – while awaiting various forms of medical assistance.

He spoke in the Senate budget debate on October 22.

"When we get into government in 2025, the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago may rest assured that we will establish a hotline, so citizens that feel disenfranchised and feel hurt by the health situation would be able to call in and get redress on a regular basis."

Gopeesingh said the Government had spent $63 billion on health in the past nine years, but today patients in Trinidad and Tobago were dying like flies.

"Thousands of patients are suffering at home, for months, and sometimes years, waiting for a call for surgery, for clinic appointments, and they are waiting for proper medicines to be given to them."

He quoted a letter to the editor published in Newsday on October 18 titled, Waiting years to see doctor at complex.

Quoting, he read, "'Presently there are patients of the heart, kidney and other clinics who have not seen a doctor for at least three years or so. What is happening at the complex is that every six months the patient goes in and receives a new prescription for CDAP medication.

"'Why are the patients not being given an appointment and time to be seen by a doctor in the respective clinic?'"

He continued the letter, "'I know of people who have had stent insertion for three years and to date cannot be seen by a doctor, as well as people with heart and kidney problems who would have last seen a doctor three years ago.'"

Gopeesingh opined, "That is the state of our health sector! Sixty three billion spent and another seven billion to be spent!"

He said patients die on hospital trolleys and he recalled a medical colleague having to wait 12 hours the previous night to get his grandson admitted to a paediatric ward at a public hospital.

Gopeesingh said he personally witnessed desperation among patients and their families to get medical help. He alleged some patients wait for days in the emergency department of hospitals.

"Do you know how many calls I get on a regular basis, being a senior member in the medical profession? 'Doctor, please try and help me'.

"'My family is there almost three days and can't get a bed in the hospital and there is no one to call, no one to answer any questions'."

He said while waiting for help, some patients die in wheelchairs or on hospital trolleys.

"By the time the family goes out and gets the blood test done and has the result, the patient is dead."

Adding his own thoughts to the letter, he said some hospitals lack proper equipment to do neurological, orthopaedic and cardiac surgery, and lack lab reagents and pharmaceutical drugs.

Gopeesingh accused Government of damaging the psyche of doctors, nurses and other health professionals by not giving them secure contracts by which they could earn a living and go to a bank for a loan to buy a car.

He also accused Government of inactivity in enacting any of the suggestions made in the Seemungal Report into the handling of the covid pandemic. "Not one of those recommendations has been fulfilled!"

Gopeesingh accused the Government of failing to properly manage the dengue fever outbreak, claiming the virus had killed upwards of 40 people in recent times.