– APNU+AFC says Health Ministry has abandoned duty to isolate COVID patients
– says Ministry trying to save money while persons are dying
As Guyana recorded its 116th COVID-19 death on Wednesday, the APNU+AFC Coalition accused the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government of failing to ensure that COVID-19 positive persons are isolated, thereby contributing to the spread of the virus through poor management.
Reading from a party statement at a press conference on Wednesday, Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) and former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Health, Dr. Karen Cummings said that the pandemic in Guyana has taken a turn for the worst with an alarming increase in the number of deaths as more people become infected.
Based on information recorded by her party, on October 13, 2020 the Ministry of Health recorded 1,008 active cases of COVID-19 of which 876 infected persons were left to home isolate.
The APNU+AFC believes that the Ministry of Health is “hoping” that positive persons will adhere to the request to isolate themselves instead of doing everything possible to isolate these individuals and provide them with the health care needed to remain healthy.
“Rather than a sound public health strategy to curb the spread of COVID-19 and prevent people from dying, the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony has shifted the burden of care in general and home isolation in particular onto the Guyanese people,” she stated.
“In other words, the Minister of Health is hoping that approximately 9 in every 10 persons with corona virus in Guyana will stay safely at home, and keep away from family, friends and strangers at all times, while wearing a face mask all day once they are not sleeping. Thus, more persons become infected and die with each passing day as the COVID-19 pandemic marches on and the government does nothing of note.”
Dr. Cummings said that it is “wishful thinking” on the Ministry of Health’s part to expect positive patients to home isolate 100 percent efficiently. However, she suggested that the Ministry may be looking to save money in avoiding their responsibility of home isolation.
She pointed out that, in shirking home isolation, the Ministry no longer has to source nurses and doctors to provide patients with daily checks to ensure they are recovering well; they no longer have to ensure patients have access to vitamin supplements along with medication for fever, headache and cough; they no longer have to supply each positive patient with a minimum of 3 surgical face masks a day to prevent them from spreading COVID-19 and they no longer have to ensure that all COVID-19 patients have 3 nutritious meals a day.
Dr. Cummings also said that, in avoiding the responsibility of home isolation, the Ministry doesn’t provide patients with access to running water and hand soap; laundry services to ensure infected patients’ clothing and bed linings are appropriately decontaminated; and infectious waste disposal services to ensure tissues patients cough into and infected waste are properly decontaminated and discarded.
The Ministry of Health, according to the Opposition MP, under the current conditions, no longer has to ensure patients are in well, naturally ventilated rooms or air-conditioned rooms with specialized air filters or that the patient’s rooms and furniture are constantly sanitized.
They would also avoid having to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) inclusive of face masks, face shields, gloves, shoe covers, and gowns, for doctors and nurses to use daily, a minimum of 3 times per day to follow-up on patients.
“Though this is not an extensive list, on average the Government saves about $24,500 a day for every COVID-19 case that is on home isolation,” she said.
“And this value to the Government of the day is in exchange of an average of 2 new cases of COVID-19 which is gained for every person they place on home isolation. This is certainly not a ‘circle of blessing’ but a ‘circle of COVID’ which inevitably will lead to increase in infections and deaths. It therefore means that the PPP regime is handing out $25,000 COVID relief, mainly to their own supporters, but on the other hand is acting in willful neglect, jeopardizing the health and lives of citizens and the result is the infection of large numbers of people with COVID-19 on a daily basis.”
Dr. Cummings called on the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony and the PPP regime to deliver adequate and sufficient health care to the people of Guyana.
