Senate diagnoses health issues today

HEALTH MINISTER John Rahael will open debate on the Food and Drugs Amendment Bill 2004 and the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Amendment Bill 2004, in the Senate at 1.30 pm. Both Bills were laid in the House of Representatives on May 14 and passed there on June 18. In June, former health minister Dr Hamza Rafeeq said the former Bill needed amendments because it would put simple medications out of the reach of low income earners. Rahael said this Bill would not affect the purchase of over the counter drugs in Trinidad and Tobago and Government would correct any flaws in the legislation before it goes to the Senate.

Last week, the minister hinted that he would respond to questions raised on other health issues such as Government’s decision to split the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) into two Regional Health Authorities (RHAs). Rahael said the former regime’s decision to incorporate the now defunct and financially troubled Central RHA into the NWRHA had contributed to its financial and operational deficiencies. Last Friday, Government cleared its first hurdle to split the NWRHA when it defeated an Opposition motion to annul the RHA Amendment Order 2004.

Senators had also questioned when the Commission of Inquiry into the nation’s public health services would start. Commission chairman Hector McClean said this inquiry would begin in February 2005. Today’s sitting will also be the first since Social Services Delivery Minister Christine Kangaloo revealed that she had breast cancer. At last week’s post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall, Kangaloo said she had undergone treatment overseas and had been given a clean bill of health by her doctors. On June 18, Rahael signed an agreement to establish a US$ 21 million national oncology programme at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.