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HOME	FEBRUARY 26th, 2005

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Medical doctor, David Lambert is calling on the ruling New National Party (NNP) Government of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell to urgently address a number of critical issues facing the nation's health system.

Dr. Lambert accused the Mitchell Government of being silent on issues relating to health care especially the shortage of life-saving oxygen at the St. George's General Hospital. He made the charge Sunday while speaking to a large gathering at a public meeting in St. John's of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Dr. Lambert said that in recent times, a number of persons were loosing limbs while others like unborn babies were dying and patients have to be turned away from the hospital due to a lack of oxygen.

He attributed the lack of oxygen to the government's owing the local supplier of oxygen, L &M industries, hundreds of thousands of dollars for the product. He also faulted the Mitchell government for not telling Grenadians that the Phase 2 development programme of the hospital has been terminated and by February 28 all Cuban medical technicians and engineers will return home.

Lambert told party supporters that the first two trained Cuban technicians left Grenada on Sunday because Government had closed down the programme. "We cannot accept that ....we promise the people to bring an improved diagnostic center in St. George's, we promised our people to bring better quality care to our people and that is how we welcome them by closing down the programme and sending back all of the technicians and engineers so that the people of Grenada can get no phase 2", he said.

"It is evident that the Government are not managing the peoples business efficiently and therefore they have to go", he added. The Opposition Shadow Minister of Health noted that government was placing too much emphasis on plans to rebuild the national sporting stadium at Queen's Park that was badly damaged by Hurricane Ivan.

He said that while the Congress is not opposed to the reconstruction of the stadium since it is necessary for the development of sports and culture, however, "our priorities must be straight". "We shall march against the Government for this because we want to see our hospital programme completed", he remarked.

Lambert urged Grenadians to see this as "a wake up call" and to get mobilized to march on the streets "to demand better medical attention for our people". "I am calling on you when the bell rings we want you in your thousands, we shall march for it", he said.

"We cannot be vexed with the nurses, doctors and the other personnel at the hospital. They work under terrible and hard conditions and at times it happens when one nurse has to look after the needs of 24 patients, bathe them, change them and give them medication", he added. Dr. Lambert also claimed that some of the country's better physicians are leaving the country.

He pointed to Dr. Phillip Finlay and Garth George, adding that "more and more are leaving daily because of the harsh and oppressive condition that exist at the hospital". Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) in the Ministry of Health, Chrispin John has responded to charges about the shortage of oxygen at the General Hospital.

John said that the ministry has over forty tanks of oxygen at various hospitals on the island and there were 20 waiting to be cleared on Port St. George. He stated that government was aware of its commitment to the public and as such was making every effort to correct any deficiencies that may exist as a result of hurricane Ivan.

According to John, up until last Friday the hospital received 45 tanks from neighboring Trinidad and Tobago. "Usually the hospital orders 36 tanks per week but due to the destruction to our main supplier in Grenada, L&M industries, we were unable to source oxygen locally and as a result we were forced to turn to external sources mainly Trinidad (as) our main supplier", he said.

He admitted that at times the ministry experiences delays in getting supplies but at no time was the hospital unable to treat any emergency cases since a certain amount of tanks are always available for emergency cases. "Such allegations leveled against the Ministry are unfounded", John said.

He also categorically denied of a "broken relationship" between government and the local supplier due to financial difficulties. "There is no dispute between L&M investment and the Ministry. The scarcity of supplies I believe is as a result of damages caused to L&M industries as a result of Ivan", John said.