Fed-up pharmacists force hospital dispensaries to remain shut

Dispensaries at Port-of-Spain General Hospital (PoSGH), Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC), Mt Hope Women’s Hospital and health centres in the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) remained closed yesterday as pharmacists stayed away from work. The pharmacists took action because they have grown impatient waiting for the authorities to address their concerns. Negotiations between the Public Services Association and Chief Personnel Officer for the period 2001-2004 have been completed, but “nothing was finalised with pharmacists.” Sources said proposals were submitted and senior pharmacists made a presentation to the CPO. Among their grouses are the restructuring of salaries and more recently, the NWRHA’s issuing letters of permanent appointments to some workers and contract employment to others.

Attempts on Tuesday by a committee of pharmacists to get clarification on the letters from the vice-president human resources, Yolande Selman, proved futile. Sources said they went to the Health Ministry the next day to see Health Minister John Rahael but “saw his advisor Mr Samuel,” instead. At PoSGH, the normally busy waiting area of the Dispensary was deserted except for three people, who were not waiting for service, but taking a rest on the seats available. Many people went to get their medication in the morning only to find out that service had been suspended because there were no pharmacists. The people who decided to go to the dispensary in the afternoon expecting service, such as the pensioner who walked from John John, were surprised to see signs on the door stating, “Closed until further notice.”

Another sign, which was typed, announced that the Dispensary would be closed until Monday and apologised for the inconvenience. The same situation was evident at EWMSC. The sign on the padlocked door advised the public that the out-patient pharmacy was closed “due to unforeseen circumstances.” A woman contacted Newsday to complain that her husband took their 11-year-old son to get his monthly vaccine for rheumatic fever and was told “pharmacists on strike.” He was advised to call the pharmacy today to find out if he could get service. NWRHA’s communications manager, Charmaine Codrington, told Newsday that the VP human resources will meet with pharmacists on Wednesday. “We are appealing to their sense of responsibility to attend to the public,” she said.