Dominicans have been told that a Medical Professions Act, which holds medical professionals accountable for their actions, is to become a reality in the very near future.
Health Minister Dr. Kenneth Darroux made the announcement on Thursday. This follows public concerns over a number of deaths reported after members of the public go to the country’s main hospital, the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) for medical attention.
The latest involved Portsmouth resident, Lisa Peter, who allegedly died under strange circumstances while under observation prior to giving birth at the hospital. An injunction has been filed to prevent an autopsy of Peter and her dead baby.
Darroux said he is aware of the concerns and he intends to get the Act going.
“The new Act, which is something that has been spoken for a number of years now, has been sitting around for a while in various offices but I intend to peruse with all my health and strength that I have left,” he said. “Because this new Medical Act after poring through it in detail is going to hold a lot more people responsible and accountable like when incidents like what you mentioned happen.”
He added that the Act will set up various disciplinary councils to scrutinize and hold people responsible for what they do.
“I have a fundamental issue because when things happen and then people are found at fault, and I’m not just referring specifically to health, and then they show up to work the following day like nothing happened. There has to be a more rigid, a better scrutinized system to hold people accountable and to hold them to what they are being paid to do,” he said.
The Health Minister noted that the Act will also address many other issues.
“The new health Act, after poring through it, I have reassured myself and it is going to address a lot of these issues in terms of when somebody dies, the proper investigation, not just by the court, but even before it reaches the court. I think internally that a whole review must be done as to the circumstances in terms of what happen.”
Meantime Liaison Officer in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Martin Christmas, said many subtle changes will occur in the Act, such as a name change of the Medical Board to the Medical Council and members of the public will be guaranteed that the services will be at a certain standard and there will be some level of uniformity across the board.
In addition the Act will also be looking very closely at criteria for registration, licensing and guaranteeing in the quality of professional that is placed out there to serve the public, Martin said.
Who is going to hold accountable the ones who need to hold others accountable?
Just recently Dr. Dale Dangleben, a son of the soil complained about the health system by giving constructive criticism but he was vilified by the government and its supporters. Prior to that, the good Dr. Epeh from Marigot basically said the same things and was almost hung at the gallows in the old market like a runaway slave. Now the said Dr. Darroux wants an act like is someone else’ fault. Its almost a year now since Darroux is minister of health. What has he done to improve the system? Oh I forgot, Erika took all his time so its all Erika’s fault. Dr. Dangleben and Epeh are finally vindicated in my book!
Assertive, Never Ever Aggressive!
Yessss! Finally!!! Whew!
In all fairness I don’t think the Doctors and nurses should be blamed for the Present health care system. I had a very good experience after my premature baby was born . The Doctors and the nurses were professional, worked 24-7 on my baby and always kept me informed. When I read the news and listen to the minister of Health I am disappointed with his choice of words. Everything seems to be about him like he is some hero. The heroes are the nurses who bomb ride to go home after a late night shift.The heroes are those doctors who I see round the clock with no facilities to take a rest. I was on the ward for 3 months with my baby. so I know what they go through. Its disgraceful. In everything there is good and bad. PMH may not be perfect but we have to encourage our true heroes. Those that really make it happen.
While I do understand the need for such and Act, in Dominica we always wait for things to get to its worst point before we start to act. Now, while the minister wants and act implemented, I hope there is a segment in there that speaks to the matter of how the medical system is being run and holding those in power accountable for decisions and procedures out in place that affects the proper distribution of medical services. Like those that control the number of equipment being bought at PMH, broken down equipment that that takes the moon to turn purple to fix. I also hope it holds the powers at be responsible for the non hiring of specialist doctors and the low numbers of junior doctors who are overworked. We talk about inefficiency, however many factors lead to inefficiency. Morale is low at PMH, LOW PAY, POOR EQUIPMENT, ETC. but the minister will beat his chest…hooray. I support the Act but we need to look at a complete overhaul of the system.
And another thing…Dr Christmas have guts wii. He first needs to be help account for the situation at Margot. He and the former minister of Health. Coming and talk about Act when the people of Margot and environs don’t even have a functioning hospital. The hospital crumbled under his immediate watch because it is apart of the Priamry Health System which he managed. Shame….
Also, while we expect doctors to be good at what they do…they are not magicians. They have to deal with their working conditions just like any other worker at any other work place. We know what PMH is like and there are also the inside workings.
Well we had a legal Professions act introduced in parliament with particular emphasis on Instru the disgraced UWP politician turn lawyer. Today the legsl professions act is dead and unimportant simply because senior counsels, lawyers of poiticians, priestly rogue lawyers all want ti be able to run roughshod in Dominica. Those stealing $80000 from commercial ,bank, those with 42 charges languishing in the court,those stealing client money just lime instru and reaping off news paper in US. There are those lawyers running racketeering with passports.
I am 100% on board with the medical professions act but my goodness why the hypocrisy and double standard. Francine Baron as Attorney General declared thst the legal professions act was extremely important – in parliament. Today where is the act
Well Lang Mama. The Act is buried under someone’s pile of forgotten projects. This is what happens all the time. There also needs to be an Act to hold public officers and whomever is involved in getting things done accountable for killing the progress. Just like the Marigot hospital project that is sitting on someone’s desk……killed…..dead and no one stops to take notice nor action. If persons are not functioning to the standards of their job description, then replace them. Amend whatever civil service laws need to be amended and send folks home, who want to be on permanent holiday at work. So much to say. Kuddos to the Professions Act.
How is that going to help with a dilapidating hospital.. with no modernized equipment and no medication and you expect them to perform at their highest. When they don’t perform you want them to suffer the consequences of a poor health system…… AMAGWAHSAH>>>!!!!!
Dominican, this is not the only solution to the problem. However, it is a HUGE step. Much more can be done with what we have. The important thing is first knowing what is wrong with patient in order to know what management the person needs. Having the facilities will not make a difference if the need for its use is not recognized. The Act will cause persons to utilize the knowledge they should have acquired from their professional training. The system also needs to treat the knowledge deficit problem that people are satisfied with in this computer and internet age. Kuddos to the Act. Its a good start.
How many laws are there on the books that are not enforced? So why would any new laws or regulations be any different?
Can you imagine a doctor being held accountable for having sex with one of his patients? And which doctor would testify against one of his colleagues in a malpractice lawsui?
I would not hold my breath.
Agreed Zandoli. I guess one must start somewhere. The whole healthcare issue stems from a management deficit. Therefore, Managers need to be held accountable for mal management by putting punitive measures in place. However, reward is the partner to punishment, so this is another area to be addressed. So, enforcing the laws enacted definitely MUST be looked at. Policies and procedures are major factors that influence the way things must be done. Do we have any written policies and procedures? Are people held to the standards of these P & P? beats me.
Maybe de minister of health smell a big lawsuit and now trying to blame de nurses and doctors? Shame on you sir.
Good management never blames anyone, but with responsibilities come accountability so all concerned need to be held accountable. Including the minister and the heads of health (The system). Therefore, the Act is one way of the system attempting to fix the problem. There is a loooong way to go.
many elections is going to come and go and this act will not be in place. and it seems like labour is going to be in power for years to come because dominicans are brain wash and in love with the wind and infatuation so yes they going to keep putting labour power over and over again.this act or any other act that will hold the government accountable will not pass under this corrupt party. yes you may say its the doctors or nurses but as long as they working for the government the blame is going to be carried by the government, If the charge a nurse or doctor is the government that is getting sued, so tell me, are they going to pass this act? think again. this promise is not even in a paper bag it is a clear plastic bag you can see right through it. thats a man who is trying to score political pionts. If he so wants to make things right let him start with the case in question at the moment, why are they blocking the process of the autopsy. crooks my people.
I see Dr. Christmas in the picture but I hope he remembers that poopoole invaded the Marigot hospital under his watch. We the people should have filed a law suit against him for Gross Negligence. I just hope he tells Darroux and others to equip the hospital properly so the health practitioners can do their work properly. And by the way Darroux, when is the new hospital going to be built? Was that an election gimmick also? Oh, I forgot that Erika destroyed the plans and you all have to go back to the drawing board. Jah must quail allu man!
Assertive, Never Ever Aggressive!
Reactive as always… never proactive!!!!!
A human life is worth <EC$25 000 in DA (according to a recent court ruling) so it doesn't really hurt the govt when they have they settle malpractice suits….does it?
I like it. I really like it. You like it?
The problem is that I don’t believe it. When the Legal Profession Bill is passed then maybe I will believe it.
Till then I continue to like it
Dr. Darroux while you are at it be sure to enact Laws to Hold this Corrupt Regime Accountable for all it\’s Actions. You stated: \”I am not just referring specifically to health.\” Then it\’s only fair you go the whole nine yards. Meanwhile, we applaud you and Dr. Christmas for taking a stance on this Issue.
Yes, a medical practice act is absolutely necessary. I worked in that field for many years as an investigator for the government. I learned that medical professionals do make mistakes and have been found negligent, or incompetent, at the expense of peoples’ health and life. We found soýme with inadequate competense to do the job, or just plain negligent. When found at fault or guilty, the consequence has to be suspension or removal from medical practice. The act will hopefully set minimum qualification standards for practice, and require continuing education. The civil codes have to be amended to allow for civil suits against offenders. The medical act has to be enforced by a specialized board or council with authority to investigate and impose discipline. A citizen complaint mechanism must be in place to allow citizens to file complaints. A reporting requirements should be part of this so serious errors do not go unnoticed. Good Luck Dominica.
Also have record keeping requirements, so conducts and pprocedures can be documented. We need that for followup
Thank you! If we take the same round pins and put them in square holes, the Act will be null and void. A careful selection needs to be done void of political influence.
why don`t you first speak of employing more doctors so the overwhelming staff burn out presently being experienced can be avoided,? . this may very well be one of the major issues at the crux of the matter ,. instead of pandering to misplaced and irrational media frenzy and threatening to punish your colleagues.
Yes ,I agree Medical Professionals should be held accountable for their actions , but too often people in authority tend to forget that it begins at the top. How often do you see the ministry of Health making funds available to send Doctors for Continuing Education., How often do you see they buy new equipment. How often do you you see they buy new improved drugs. These are somethings that should be looked at. Really if they are so concerned , Why on Earth are the Doctors allowed to work in that Old Outdated Hospital. It is a shame. My Point is don’t blame Doctors and Nurses , blame the Lack of Vision of our Politicians who Don’t. See the need to Provide modern facilities for its people. It’s time to do better ,I don’t care what is your Political affiliation. Why do we not have more trained specialist instead of just General practicioners.
Why do we always have to send people overseas, can we invest in our people and train,them,. Have you checked the salaries of the staff…
While welcoming the ‘act’ to implement the council/medical board,
We have to get to the root of the problems.
The doctors are the main culprit. If they refuse
to operate under the deplorable conditions at the
hospital with neophyte nurses and the Dominican
Cuban trained nurses who called themselves doctors,
the government would be forced to remedy the situation.
Instead we have a bunch of greedy unscrupulous
doctors who treat patients like merchandise and supplies in a business.
They operate on patients and do not return except for discharge.
Doctors are called when their patients develop complications after postal and do not come.
A family member of mind developed an allergic to
anaesthia, the anesthesiology was called and never showed up,
Instead of restraining and putting the patient on a one to one with a sitter,
they called the psych doctor and gave her a muscle relaxer.
How can one be given such a medication less than 24 hrs postop?
Good point. If the services continue business as usual, what is this action saying? we are fine and are functioning well. The health personnel are the ones who should refuse to work under deplorable conditions and send a message to the powers that be. But, the action has to be a collaborative effort. Junior officers are not taught and mentored like they used to be on completion of medical school. They are mostly used to do the work. They need to be able to find support in the Consultants. Attitude is latitude and some of the junior staff think that they know it all, closed minded and are very customer unfriendly. We can only trust that the senior staff take up the mantle and lead in the right direction. Society has also changed making the job of managers so much more difficult.
I am happy that our minister is putting things in place to have ppl held accountable. if my family have to sue we have 2 cases, why should we sue the government, when the doctors are the ones who made errors and wrong judgment. thank God he was watching over me when i had my baby, you go to a private doctor, and he never show up to check on you while you are in the hospital, the baby is born an he is the present and do not care anyways. yes we need knew requirements but most of the death are not related to requirement.
Our nurse need to be written up too and disciplined. i wish Dominica well. God bless my country may wisdom prevail
.
The experienced nurses at the hospital are saying the new DR are incompetent. Yoo much Cuban trained DOCTORS
The problem is not where people get trained. There is an internship period designed to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of those new doctors. The process needs to be utilized for making them better physicians. We also have actual Cubans running the hospital and no one can say or do anything. We are not that desperate. There are trained and highly competent Dominicans who want to come home and who have attempted to make a change through service, but our people do not recognize a good thing. They put up hurdles. My people better check their selves and stop eating crap with their eyes closed.
My sister who was 40 years old. Walked to the hospital to have gallstones removed. Lacm of post op care caused her her life. We were told that she died of natural cause. She was not sick. Today this crazy doctor is still practicing. No one was held responsible. Lets hope things will change for the better.
What do you expect?
It is Princess Margaret Hospice.
Funeral home employees patrol the units all day
waiting for their prey.
Have you ever seen that in any other hospital?
If you are a private patient, you get slaughter first.
Government paying patients will die before getting operated on.
The ‘cash cow’ is amputation of legs-first choice of cute for diabetics in
Dominica. The second is line for dialysis treatment, half of the patients
we’re wrongly diagnosed-$4000.
The doctor performs the surgery and depart the same day-any complications, you are on you own
B
Until we realize that these Individuals aren\’t Bona Fide Doctors, this will continue.
Sp sorry for your loss. May her soul R.I.P
My condolences. Stories like these are heart breaking. The change must start with us. Take a stand.
Dat sounding like empty talk.
Nice one to late shall always be a cry.
Nice one. Too late will always be a cry.
To late shall always be a cry. All they have for you is sorry. Sorry for your dead baby and go and pray and go seek conselling. Well i have this to say nothing helps when yiou loses your baby nothing at all. Because all you feel is anger and rage at nurses and doctors for nigligence and carelessness. But they will pay one day. Jah never sleeps.
It was ABOUT TIME
In his book “Winds in your Sail” David Greer a leadership coach wrote ” Make yourself accountable and your employees will hold themselves to a high standard.” In the end, each one of us will give an account before God. And no high paid, smooth talking attorney will be able to file any appeal.
Not before time!
I hope this new act will not only keep health professionals accountable but also point out the flaws in our system so we can improve.
I suspect the govt smelling some big lawsuit coming so they wanto put blame on the nurses and doctors so they can pay for any mishap that is happening in the unequiped thing they have calling a hospital. You talking about act fix the hospital
U right but make sure u make them accountable with a well equipped hospital. Because if the hospital does not have the necessary equipment and medication there is nothing much they can do but watch u die.
In addition make sure an insurance policy is required, and Refreshers courses are mandatory.
Thank God. A medical practitioner diagnosed me as having ‘gout’ and prescribed me medication without having sent me for any tests to support his diagnosis. Thank God I refused to take the medication and sought the help of another doctor who sent me for all the relevant tests,which proved his diagnosis was inaccurate and even then, after I was diagnosed, I went for further confirmation. Some of the medical practitioners are theoretical practitioners and need to go back to medical school. This should be a requirement, continuous learning and up-grading of skills and knowledge since diseases and medicines are always evolving.
It is always wise to get a second opinion. In Dominica, I would think few are aware of that. Too many people are diagnosed the first time and they assume the doctor is correct. They commence taking medication which they probably did not need.
This is long over due. For too long the medical people have been too irresponsible and treated people likethings.Too many ill eqipped and ill prepared persons are called doctors and allowed to play with peoples lives.
Is there an internship period for those persons who go to cuba and come back to practice as doctors? Do they take an exam?
Are they being mo nitored and evaluatec?
Why is it they cannot just go and practice in the U S?
Dominica definitely needs to step up.
You are dealing with lives. Once a person dies there is no repair that can be done except God works a miracle.
Going to school for 4yrs doesn’t make you a doctor
Especially if you have to specialize in one particular
field. That’s just class room work.
You a so correct it’s 4yrs plus another 3 to 4 yrs to specialized in a particular field and that’s what Dr. Dangleben was trying to explain to us Dominicans . Look at Dr.Christmas body language he looks very uncomfortable healthy ., so what is going on with our medical system We need help in Dominica.
I hope you all hold all you selves accountable for the :
1. Lack of resources at PMH
2. Lack of resources at the PMH
3.Lack of resources at the PMH
After you all start trying to throw doctors in jail for whatever you all blame them for doing I hope you all give them MUCH MORE RESOURCES TO WORK WITH
The hospital in shambles
The doctors are doing their best to work with what they have
Give them proper chest tubes to work with so your patients can be taken care of effectively
Boxes of gloves should not be missing all over the wards
The list goes on, feel free to chip in fellow docs….
Reading you Olddoc! The hospital needs a proper manager. You go into the hospital to see a doctor or casualty and there is nobody there to take your name and then let you know when you will be seen by at least giving you a number! This is called organization. As far as I can see there is none at all at PMH. The nurses do not seem to respect the doctors or are even accountable to the doctors! The doctors seem to be overworked. The hospital is old and appears to be very dirty, with no seats on toilets etc! I have heard that there is always a lack of drugs to be administered to patients! Patients are mostly given paracetamol for pain. The whole place is a shambles. It must be so very depressing for the staff working in the hospital every day to be working under these conditions! It seems you have a depressed staff with low moral! This leads to a bad practice. It is a vicious circle. The PMH needs a huge shake up starting from the top.
You are so correct about the management issue, there is an urgent need to make them and the supervisors accountable. There is an urgent need to scrutinise the anual budget submited and how it is spent. Health is taking a big cut from our national budget; so every year we should obtain some level of improvement. Is it a case where management /Supervisors are more interested in what is in it for them, insted of focussing on the needs of the institution?
Mr. Darroux, please give us an update on the new hospital that was supposed to start in the first quarter of 2015, now there is a deafening silence and we are well into the final quarter of 2015.
TS Erika took care of that; for a while anyway. Due to this, I visualize a lot of work has to be done in D/ca. You will have to exercise patience. At this moment the government has much to do in re-building D/ca and relocating the displaced ones. Furthermore, the area may be still wet/damp from the amount of rain which fell during the storm. You must also be considerate.
@At Real facts you have to be joking, what has Erika got to do with a project that was supposed to start in in the first quarter of 2015? Erika happened in August of 2015. I don’t see any equipment on sight, this project is fast becoming a pipe dream.
why dos it take so long to implement. to make these law practicable so many ACT to be made law take for example having sex with under age children the law is still dragging its feet we must have extremely hash penalties. another so many cases of lawyers stealing clients funds,money. we are really not ready to move with the rest of civilisation.
It is not easy as you may think to pass laws. They can’t be quickly passed because people want laws. There is more to this than meets the eye and the mind could fathom.
Sometimes there are which cause attorneys and their clients to take advantage of them which could result in either a re-trial or an acquittal.
The Act comprises of many pages. Someone has to write it. This is a rough copy. It has to be reviewed, probably a few times and modified, then typed. It must not contain errors. The final result must be perfect prior to passing it and enacting it.. Relevant authorities must be satisfied with the wording. They must also ensure there are no loopholes.
This slow process is not only in Dominica. Consider discussions must be held with debates, pro and con. Do not be surprised that it takes a few years to pass a law. Anyway, you can ask your Parl. Rep about this.
What about the D/ca Consumer Protection Act? Is it passed yet?
Pure BS. Consider the two financial laws passed earlier this year. How long were they in the making? Simply put, we had no choice but to pass them b/c OECS or CARICOM mandated such. Unless this hopeless government is FORCED into action, nothing happens.
Darroux told you hisself what happened to the medical act; it had nothing to do with revisions, it was “The new Act, which is something that has been spoken for a number of years now, has been sitting around for a while in various offices” if deadlines were provided and there was any seriousness behind these measures we would at least know what stage of drafting it is in.
‘FAKE FACTS’ stop trying to excuse the DEADLY INCOMPETENCE of this ineffective labor party. Remember the PM lost the petition to raise the age of consent? Even this act is a tiny step to pretend they are doing something b/c of national outrage!
Typing it not de problem nuh @ The Real Facts.
As a matter of fact I volunteer myself to type it because i can type fast.
illnesses (typo)
The new Act, (sorry typo)
The new Act, (typo)
Smh. Only now?
“The New act which is something that has been spoken for a number of years now has been sitting around in various offices” I am not even going to put in the rest quote. (has been sitting around in various offices) Smdh. So while our loved ones kept on getting mis diagnosed “consistently” and being given the wrong medications for diseases and illness they don’t have and in countless cases dying as a result, this “Act” has been just sitting around in various offices 
There are times they have other important matters to see about and so the paper could be set aside. Hopefully, they do not forget about it.
Please censor yourself. What is more important that people’s lives? Selling passports?
Because they know they’ll all fly out to Martinique and US for care, this was least important?
And you wonder why Erika came to cleanse out Dominica?
@ Honourable Health Minister, Dr. Kenneth Darroux:
Sir I would like to respectfully advise that before you put mechanisms in place to hold doctors accountable, you must first ensure that the necessary tools are in place for doctors to do their jobs diligently and confidently.
Sir, I am respectfully reminding you, but I know you very well know, that most of the equipment being used presently at PMH is outdated and frankly looks shabby.
I can predict that any doctor slapped with a malpractice suit and held personally accountable, is going to hire expensive lawyers to defend them, saying the equipment was old and faulty.
Don’t go putting the cart before the horse, Honourable Minister. Modernise and equip the hospital with up to date instruments and equipment, then AFTER you have done that, doctors will have no excuse to kill people accidentally.
I last heard of this Act. when there were allegations of rape by a certain physician on island. Everything went quiet until now that there are allegations of malpractice at our hospital.
I hope this act really comes into effect sooner and does not disappear like it did before and so many others.
When will we start being Reactive and stop being Pro-active in Dominica?
The best you can do is to contact your Parl. Rep and address this issue to him/her. How often many talk but few, if none at all do anything about it. Some of you can blame yourselves as well. Too much talk and very little action, if none at all. You must be active and show an interest. Only then you could see results.
Correction: stop being Reactive and start being Pro-active…
Darroux, such law is long overdue!
I would hope that it is mandatory for act to hold so called doctors accountable for “malpractice,” and other medical ethics which they fail to uphold. Not only the doctors should be required to conduct themselves in a professional manner, Charge Nurses, and faculty who are in sensitive positions of treatment should also be held responsible when they fail to perform their duties which most of the time is a major contributor to patients death in the country.
A section of the penal code must be included where people are free to sue government also, since the hospital is a government entity, and the doctors are in the employ of the government, therefore the government is also responsible for every and all case of malpractice! Finally, if the hospital is not equip with the necessary tools, that may aid in the inability to properly diagnose the patients, resulting in malpractice!
You could try helping them to write it, proofread it and modify it. This would be a start.
They can’t sell 2 passports and hire a consultant for that? All the advisers, and consultants, all the failed candidates they hired, none of them could oversee this process?? But as you said above, perhaps the gov’t had more important things to do than pass an act that would save lives at the country’s central hospital.
Excuses are the tools of the weak and incompetent; used to build monuments of nothing!
Since dem boys, is you friend, you do it cause, me suspect dem doh going an mention nofing bout malpractice in day oui!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!