Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence was on Thursday greeted by protestors when she turned up to commission the National Ophthalmology Hospital at Port Mourant.
Led by head of the Regional Health Committee Zamal Hussain, the protestors are calling for a proper healthcare system in the region.
Hussain, speaking with the media, explained that they are protesting the deficiency and inefficiency which exist in the health sector, along with mismanagement, corruption and cronyism in the sector.
“Diabetic patients’ tablets are being rationed on a monthly basis. Persons who have to get thirty days’ tablets are being given ten days’ tablets,” he said.
Hussain blamed both Ministers in the Public Health Ministry, saying that they have been abusing tax payers’ money on extravagant ceremonies and parading in the region.
Over the past few days, the Ministers have attended numerous ceremonies to commission various centres in the county.
Meanwhile, among the issues Hussain said he will be pushing to have resolved are the lack of basic health care, the lack of an adequate supply of X-ray films, and lack of the necessary equipment to do certain tests at hospitals across the Region.
Structural deficiencies are also listed along with non-performance of cataract surgeries at the National Ophthalmology Hospital. He also referred to a shortage of doctors at several hospitals and vacancies which have been in existence for more than one year.
