12,000 waiting for surgery

Although Health Minister John Rahael said private hospitals will be assisting the Ministry in clearing the backlog of more than 12,000 surgical cases, a spokesman for the hospitals yesterday said Ministry technocrats are “pussyfooting” while people are dying and the list is getting longer. Ian Kalloo, administrator for the Private Health Institutions Association (PHIA), said they have  received no word about their role in the project. The hospitals have no idea how many cases they will have to deal with although the Health Minister indicated to them that he wanted the project to start in February. PHIA had set a target of six months to clear the backlog of basic surgeries which included: hernia, prostate, vaginal hysterectomy, mastectomy.

The Association comprises 12 large private health facilities and they are eager and willing to partner with the Ministry, but Kalloo said some members think, “we are being carried for a ride and the Ministry is not serious.” In August last year, the former Ag Chief Medical Officer Dr Rampersad Parasram wrote to the Association indicating the Ministry was interested in partnering with the private sector. Discussions subsequently took place with former Health Minister Colm Imbert. PHIA sent out letters to its members asking them to review the correspondence and provide pricing.

Kalloo said this process took some time and a proposal was sent to the Ministry last October. John Rahael was appointed the new Health Minister and PHIA met with him on December 9. He told them he wanted the programme to start in February. Kalloo said the Minister had raised questions about the prices, and the Association wrote to him on December 29 with a new fee proposal. There has been no further communication.