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President of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP), 
Dr. P. Abdon DaSilva, during his recent interview with The Barbados Advocate.

Ready to work!

 

By Janelle Riley-Thornhill
 
New President of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP), Dr. P. Abdon DaSilva, wants to see a better working relationship developed between that entity and Government, in particular the Ministry of Health.
 
Dr. DaSilva, who took over the reins of the medical practitioners’ body late last month, says that is one of the goals he hopes to achieve early on in his two-year tenure. His comments were made in 
a wide-ranging interview with The Barbados Advocate last week, during which he touched on a number of topics including his views on the establishment of a new hospital and how to address some of the systemic challenges at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) and the polyclinics in this country.
 
“I would like BAMP to be in a position where it works hand in glove with the Ministry of Health. I get the feeling that we are seen as antagonistic towards Government policies or Government decisions and I would like to see that reversed… But I am sure there are some people out there who would see that BAMP is really trying to act in the public’s interest,” he said.
 
The President’s remarks came as he contended that in spite of the criticisms repeatedly levelled at doctors, they remain committed to ensuring that the public they serve get the best possible health care. DaSilva was referring to the often touted comment that “doctors think that they are special”, as he made no apologies for saying that indeed they are, being in a position that most other professionals are not – having the responsibility of people, their lives and their well-being.
 

It is with that in mind, that the medical doctor made the case for greater clarity regarding the current constraints on the finances of the country, to be shared not only with stakeholders like them, but the wider public. Dr. DaSilva firmly believes that this would not only give doctors a better sense of what the Government can or cannot afford in terms of salaries or posts within the public health care system, but could help change, for the better, the way Barbadians relate to the provision of health services.

 

“If you are a sick person and you don’t have a sense that there are any financial constraints, your expectation is going to be different from if you are aware of the fact that the Government really and truly cannot afford to provide everything for you. Difficult for a sick person, yes, but at some point if people get the impression Government can provide, they would expect you to provide,” he surmised.

 

Turning his attention to the polyclinics, which he lamented are “literally bursting at their seams”, he said steps have to be taken to remedy that situation, especially as Government pushes ahead with the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs). He made the point as he disclosed that one of the concerns raised with the BAMP executive, is the workload being placed on the doctors in the polyclinic setting.

 

“One could argue that patients attending the polyclinics are not being afforded the time that they need, in that the doctors are given a quota of patients to see in a given time, and as far as I am aware the doctors in the polyclinics have expressed their concerns to BAMP about whether or not this is being fair to the patients or being fair to them… If we are talking NCDs and we are trying to prevent them occurring, that is one aspect; but what are you doing about the ones you already have? Certainly your intent should be to try to prevent them from winding up with complications at the QEH, but are we doing that effectively in the polyclinics? I am not about to answer that, but it is a question that needs to be answered,” he maintained.

 

DaSilva is adamant that whether there is in reality a disparity in treatment at the polyclinics, or only a perception of a disparity in treatment, the situation needs be examined, and solutions implemented to tackle any areas that need to be addressed.

 

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