No one denied medical care

Responding to a question in the House of Representatives, Deyalsingh said, “This patient was not denied treatment.” The minister said this person was admitted to the EW MSC on May 11.

“He received all the treatment...

primary and secondary...afforded to a non-national as per protocol,” Deyalsingh said. However he said, “Someone purporting to be his guardian/girlfriend/family friend encouraged him to discharge himself against medical advice.” The minister said this person did discharge himself and was taken to Piarco International Airport by the same individual who advised him to do so.

He said the person collapsed at the airport and was taken back to the EW MSC where he subsequently died. Deyalsingh reminded Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar that TT provides acute primary and acute secondary care for non-nationals.

“That’s a global practice and we stick to our WHO (World Health Organisation) convention,” he stated.

Deyalsingh also told MPs that countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, “do not provide advanced tertiary care for chronic non-pay patients in their territories.” Asked by Fyzabad MP Dr Lackram Bodoe about whether additional measures should be taken if larger numbers of Venezuelan nationals come to TT, Deyalsingh said it was every individual’s responsibility to ensure they are covered for emergency medical care when they go to other countries.