40 GPHC staff to date test positive for COVID-19 

– Dr Karen Cummings says PPP has to act 

Forty staff members at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) have tested positive for COVID-19 to date and Former junior Minister of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings has stated that this should be a wakeup call to the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) that frontline workers deserve respect, adequate payment, and protection for risking their lives.

As a guest on an APNU+AFC programme on Monday, Dr. Cummings said that she is saddened to know after being poised to flatten its COVID-19 curve since the PPP/C took up leadership, deaths, and cases have skyrocketed. She said that health workers are now protesting for more Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and risk allowances given their daily risk but the Government has delivered threats instead of assistance.

“Since August 2 things have been different. Over 400 percent rise in cases, deaths, it’s really appalling. On the other hand, our health care workers, especially frontline workers, are dissatisfied and unhappy. They’re unable to get basic things like Personal Protective Equipment to execute their duties. Of course, they’re working also for their risk allowance because they are at risk…we have to confront the issue,” Dr. Cummings said.

“We don’t want to play the blame game but right now it’s on the PPP/C’s watch and they have to acknowledge the valiant efforts of our nurses and the frontline workers and rise up to look at the risk allowance, make sure they have the necessary tools to do the jobs.”

There were exchanges recently between Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag and former Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan after Parag accused the latter of rejecting allowances for health care workers. Jordan, in turn, informed Parag that before demitting Office, the payment of a COVID Risk Allowance (CRA) was his idea. Its approval, he said, was delayed by the slothful provision of information by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health and later prevented by the change of Government.

Compared to the current Government’s pledge of $150 million to frontline health workers, which is yet to be disbursed or categorised, Jordan said that more sums – pre-August 2, 2020 — were being prepared for doctors, nurses, nurse assistants, physiotherapists, workers in the emergency department, intensive care unit, infectious diseases units, porters, cleaners, maids, workers at the Palms Geriatric Home, workers in the respiratory ward and other wards.

Dr. Cummings said on the programme that it is evident that the PPP/C has placed greater interest in ensuring that the business community thrives by relaxing several measures countrywide, but it must be noted that if people are not protected from the virus then, eventually, the business community will have no customers to profit off of.

“We’ve never seen such alarming deaths. It’s really appalling,” she said. “In the month of September alone there was a peak of four deaths in 24 hours. For the past few months, a total of 60 deaths with September claiming 39 in 29 days. I ask myself when will this epidemiological curve plateau.”

At a meeting with the media just days ago, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) threatened a nationwide strike of health workers giving a 72-hour ultimatum for the Government to act. This deadline expires on Tuesday. “Unless there is a positive response, unless these concerns are addressed, the Union will not only support the escalation of what is taking place but for it to be intensified,” GPSU President, Patrick Yarde vowed.

There has been no indication that the Government has met the demands as outlined by the Union.