Fuad: Imbert has agenda for doctors

FORMER Junior Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan yesterday claimed Health Minister Colm Imbert’s relentless attacks against the Medical Professionals Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MPATT) are part of a plan to make the Public Services Association (PSA) the sole representative union for the nation’s health care workers.

Khan told Newsday that when Parliament resumes early next month, Imbert plans to bring legislation that will make certain amendments to the Regional Health Authorities (RHA) Act. According to Khan, that legislation is intended to make the PSA the recognised bargaining unit for all of the country’s health care professionals and Imbert is attacking MPATT because he perceives MPATT to be “a UNC union” and was exposing deficiencies within the health sector. The Barataria/San Juan MP also slammed a statement from the Health Ministry which said MPATT was causing panic by releasing data from medical laboratories about persons being warded at the San Fernando General Hospital with a “mystery virus”. He said there was clearly a problem and Imbert should deal with it.

Khan criticised the Health Ministry for saying the Trinidad Public Health Laboratory  (TPHL) and Ministry’s National Surveillance Unit were the only authorised institutions in Trinidad which record data on viral illnesses. He said the TPHL was the authorised institution “for the Ministry” but not for the country. Khan explained that before the UNC came to office in 1995, CAREC and other labs in TT conducted similar tests but only after getting the data from competent and relevant authorities. The UNC MP added that the results of these tests have often been sent abroad to be verified. Khan also stated that the TPHL is currently “in a dilapidated state” and the UNC was trying to improve the facilities there when it demitted office.

Khan had no problem with legislation being brought to Parliament to regularise “unauthorised laboratories” from misusing data but felt that Imbert did not have to re-invent the wheel. He revealed that prior to the 2001 general elections, the former government was in the final stages of drafting the Health Services Quality Act which would “encompass all acts of medicine.” Khan added that all Imbert had to do was bring this Act to Parliament next month.