COVID plans in place for QEH, defends Gibson

PEOPLE’S Party for Democracy and Development spokesperson on Health, Paul Gibson has weighed in on the recent action taken against Dr. Maurice Waldrond.

It has been suggested that Dr Waldrond may have been reprimanded for voicing his concerns on a call-in programme about inadequacies of the hospital in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Gibson pointed out that a clear COVID-19 plan has been put in place in the event that there is a COVID positive patient needing a procedure.

He noted that a facility was designed with a negative pressure and all relevant tools near the major hospital to perform surgery.

In fact, Gibson, told the media that he understands that surgery was completed on a COVID-19 patient.

“Let me take this opportunity to compliment a well-raised, highly respected Barbadian surgeon, Dr. Sahl Griffith, for successfully using the newly designed facility to perform a complex, lifesaving but highly successful procedure on a very ill COVID-19 positive patient. He used the same facility successfully and the QEH did not have to be compromised.

“Persons said there that the surgery had to be put off for one day due to the facility not being ready, but that is not the case, the reason for the delay as I understand it was never to do with the surgery, but about the safety of the patient and the need to have additional human resource sign-offs and approvals to ensure anesthesia nursing staff complements were adequate.”

Gibson maintained that the matter raised by Dr. Walrond could have been handled differently.

“He reports to the Director of Medical Services, who then reports to the Executive Chair of the hospital. Why would you not even discuss or engage and explore that process first, before going to the media? Why would he write the CMO to the exclusion of the Head of the chain of command? Did he speak to his boss, the CEO before going to the media or before contacting the CMO?”

Gibson said Dr. John Gill had a process in place for doing surgery for non COVID-19 patients at the QEH. “Surgeries are being performed as we speak.”

He noted that the OBGYN, paediatrics and the Intensive Care teams all have their plans in hand.

According to Gibson, “The conversation should be about the behaviour of surgeons pre-COVID not having a high enough throughput to adequately cover the patient loads. We pay a lot of surgeons at the QEH , and as taxpayers we must demand more bang for our buck. Consultants are paid a salary to work on the part of the public. Let us call them to account. They are some good surgeons and they know who they are, but the others must get on board and better serve this country," he said.