People’s National Party (PNP) Opposition spokesman on health and Wellness Dr Morais Guy and spokesman on the public service, Senator Lambert Brown, are calling on Prime Minister Andrew Holness “to immediately withdraw his offensive statement on preferential treatment of nurses”, as a basis for ending the sick-out and a return to normality in the health sector.
Read: Prime ministers’ ‘no priority list’ comment behind islandwide nurse strike
In a joint statement today, the two Opposition spokesmen expressed solidarity with the health workers and said in spite of their dedication and selfless work, they have been experiencing major frustration with regards to their benefits.
Additionally, the two said nurses are restive due to a recent inconclusive meeting with Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton.
Guy and Brown said the prime minister’s withdrawal of the “offensive” statement and a resumption of the meetings at the level of the Ministry of Health are basic to getting a return to normality.
The spokesmen said special consideration for groups of workers in the public sector was quite usual and that nurses are due special treatment because of their role in the pandemic and the extraordinary responsibilities they carry in the overburdened hospital system.
In addition, they said their condition of service has drastically fallen during the fight against Covid-19 with shortages of vital supplies including personal protective equipment, extra long hours and staff shortages.
Guy and Brown said they understand the nurses’ plight and as a result, the prime minister should not “pour salt in the open wound and disrespect their service in any way”.
“He should withdraw, instruct a meeting to discuss their condition of service and provide urgent relief to their plight,” Guy said.
Brown, in the meantime, said all categories of workers in the health care system have been highly frustrated, not only with poor conditions of service, but with the lack of effort by the Government and the Ministry of Health and Wellness to provide equipment essential to the fight against the coronavirus and which are available to other healthcare professionals globally.
The two also expressed “deep” concern for the availability of full service in the healthcare system islandwide, and said the situation must be resolved as soon as possible.
They argued that most hospitals are already over capacity with a record 600 patients on COVID wards across the country.
“The prime minister must therefore act responsibly to bring back normality to the public healthcare system,” Guy and Brown concluded.
