Not enough protective gears for Ebola trained Doctors – Dr Norton

 

By Tracey Khan – Drakes

[www.inewsguyana.com] – Shadow Health Minister, Dr George Norton says there are not enough protective gears for Ebola trained doctors at the Georgetown Public Hospital to treat with the eventuality of cases discovered locally.

According to Dr. Norton, the doctors have to share the protective gears. At a news conference today, Friday, October 24, Dr. Norton expressed outrage that the government chose the country’s primary health care institution to quarantine persons suspected or who may become infected with the virus.

He said, “We have a lot of work to do,” while making the comparison of how the Guyanese Government is treating the situation as against countries like Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago among others.

He said the investments that those governments are making is commendable and is bringing ease to their populace since Ebola has become their number one priority.

Dr Norton believes the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration is not giving this disease the priority it deserves as he expressed the view that Guyana is not adequately prepared to deal with any eventuality.

He said his Party is willing to give its support at the Parliamentary or any level necessary to ensure that that adequate resource is placed in the fight against this disease.  

Dr Norton also called for the immediate declaration of a national plan of action to respond to the threat of entry of the Ebola virus into Guyana.

“President Donald Ramotar’s broadcast to the nation last Friday 17th October, did not go far enough. It indicated that his Government, despite its awareness of international alarm over the EVD outbreak in certain West African countries, which was reported six (6) months ago, is still to convince the population at large that the Administration is ready to deal with the EVD threat…Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, though warned of the gravity of the public health threat, has reacted slowly,” he stressed.