The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

CONSULTANT Physicians Staff Association president Dr Sabriquet Pinder-Butler says it’s “alarming” that Princess Margaret Hospital is at full capacity due to increased COVID-19 cases, but a compounding challenge remains – the lack of human resources in public health.

On Tuesday, PMH Administrator Mary Walker revealed that an increase in COVID-19 cases had left the facility operating at full capacity.

She said the vast majority of patients there and those receiving care at the South Beach Health Centre were not vaccinated.

Responding, Dr Pinder-Butler said this situation is one that should alarm all Bahamians.

She said: “It would mean that there will be challenges with Bahamians needing healthcare in general whether that is emergency care or care for other chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and the like. All of those things are impacted once we’re at this stage as we’ve had happen before.

“So, I think certainly this has to be concerning to all of us and should indicate to us that we are at a critical state in the country as it relates to healthcare and the services that we are able to provide.”

She also referred to a lack of proper resources at healthcare facilities.

This led her to criticise a newly signed $90m contract for infrastructure expansion at PMH and the Rand Memorial Hospital in Grand Bahama.

The agreement was signed between the BECK Group and the government. It includes $55m for a maternal and child health tower at PMH and four level tower at the Rand valued at $30.6m.

“…We appreciate the expansions of infrastructure and (are) looking to see how we could improve the hospital in terms of new expansion, but at this point in time I don’t see how we can use funds to do that when we need funds to also keep staff employed,” the senior doctor said.

“What are we doing? We are in this crisis now and at a time when we need more staff. You would think that the resources would go there (to staffing) first to make sure we are able to care for the persons before we talk about anything else.

“So, things are also very concerning for us now as we look to see what can be done in this situation.”

She said stakeholders have been highlighting these issues before the pandemic began.

“This is something that we have been speaking to even before COVID and so certainly COVID and any other challenge that could be at a global level would further bring those things out.

“I don’t know that we have put things in place to remedy that particular situation. We heard yesterday that we had to reallocate staff again in part to it being with the numbers of cases.

“This is also related to the fact that we don’t have additional staffing and so if you don’t have additional staffing, but still having to provide all those services then we’re having a challenge.

“We made those recommendations last year looking at how we could support staff and provide contracts for persons that have been released from the system.

“We are concerned again because we have the time again where interns are completing internships and we are hoping that the government will not let those physicians go so we don’t have gaps and having another shortage on top of a shortage already because certainly we can’t afford that – If the persons working now are already stretched and have been in this situation for a long time.”

On Tuesday, PHA said in a statement that due to PMH reaching capacity officials were forced to reallocate clinic personnel to strengthen hospital operations.

Additionally, PHA advised that Accident and Emergency is only accepting emergency cases.

Officials have said getting vaccinated is the best way to avoid a severe COVID-19 case.