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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Wednesday April 20, 2011 – Health Minister Donville Inniss is fighting a battle both at home and in the regional arena over a government policy that prevents non-nationals who are not citizens or permanent residents from accessing diagnostic, clinical and pharmaceutical services at public medical facilities.
While he has had to address Guyana’s Health Minister’s criticism of the decision, Inniss is also facing some level of resistance from local doctors who say that while they will follow the directive, they will be treating all patients equally.
The Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) has said its members will not be checking to see whether non-nationals who seek health care have regularized their status.
But, speaking at a press briefing, Minister Inniss responded: “We never asked them [the doctors] to do that in the first place. I don’t think it’s their duty. We haven’t sought to add any additional responsibility onto doctors.”
He said the task of screening will continue to be handled by medical records clerks at the polyclinics and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
The minister said he had spoken to BAMP President Dr. Carlos Chase to clarify the situation.
Inniss insisted that his task was to find solutions that would redound to the benefit of citizens and health care access is no exception.
“There are several instances where some people have been residing here in Barbados for an inordinate length of time [and] have not had their status regularized,” he said.
“I am not a cruel and inhumane Minister. I hear these complaints every day. I have spoken with the Chief Immigration Officer, I have spoken with the Minister with responsibility for immigration as recently as (Monday), and I am satisfied that as a Government we will work together to ensure that all of those who are rightfully entitled to anything in Barbados will get what they are entitled to. We just need to ensure that the processes are followed.”
Inniss also addressed criticism of the policy by Guyana’s Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy at last week’s meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Council for Human and Social Services (COHSOD).
The host minister, who is also COSHOD Chairman, had said that the decision was worrying and suggested that regional governments provide free health care to all CARICOM nationals.
Inniss said he did not expect any fallout in Barbados’ relationship with Guyana over the issue.
“Minister Ramsammy made his comments. I, in response, on the margins of the meeting would have spoken with him and enlightened him. I think there was a misinterpretation of what he would have read in the newspapers…but what is important to me is that the people of the Caribbean are able to love each other as brothers and sisters and that we are treated with a great level of hospitality when we visit each other’s nations,” Minister Inniss said.
“I am of the opinion that we as Ministers can have our differences of opinion, but I am also satisfied that whilst politicians talk and shout at each other, the ordinary citizens of the Caribbean are living the true CARICOM experience,” he added.
Read more: http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/news/barbados_news/362334.html#ixzz1OW6z1D00
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