Newly sworn-in Minister of Health, Dr. Kenneth Darroux, is concerned that too many Dominicans are seeking medical attention overseas and thinks this is an area that must addressed.
“I still feel that we are sending far too many people to neighboring countries for medical services,” Darroux told reporters on Thursday.
He said a new hospital promised by the Dominica Labour Party will be built in the new year and this could assist in alleviating the problem.
“There is still a lot of preliminary work to be done because it is going to be a serious investment,” he stated.
In light of the new facility, Darroux said the government is in the process of doing a “serious inventory” of the medical staff now at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH).
“We are in the process of doing a serious inventory of our medical staff, both doctors and specialized nurses and technicians,” he noted, adding “it would be a shame to see that we build a brand new hospital and we have to put people from overseas to come to work there for us.
“So this also I’m going to take into consideration,” he pointed out.
Darroux said he is both excited and humbled by his new position and he will work to meet the expectations of the public since he is a trained health professional himself.
“I am very humbly by my new position and I know you would have seen my closeness with the staff for a number of years, and I am hoping that I will be able to meet expectation and put my all into it,” he said.
Darroux said he has been receiving a great deal of overwhelming support from the medical staff of the PMH and the rest of Dominica.
Why not try improve the facilities of the now existing hospital before building a new one. A patient has to do surgery and no medication to put them to sleep, what if there were an emergency surgery to be done, would that person have died. So many times you go to the emergency department at night and have to wait till morning to either get medication at the hospital pharmacy or most of the time at the drug store cause the hospital pharmacy has none. Hospital pharmacy staff should be on a shift system just as the nurses, but then again what is the importance of a shift system when medication is not even available. Then you have the accounts department causing people to pay excessive hospital bills because they are not doing their work and sending patients information to the insurance companies on time and then demanding that the patients pay the bill when it was their mistake that they did not get the money from the patients’ insurance. All these things need to be fixed/stopped.
When all this is done, in all honesty, a state of the art hospital will be more than welcomed.
dont you think that the marrigot hospital would be a better topic? where ignorance is bliss tis folley to be wise
ask your pm where his kid was born you **** fool
WHEN EQUIPMENT AND MEDICAL CARE GETS UPGRADED THEN PEOPLE WILL REMAIN AT HOME; UNTIL THEN PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO GO ELSEWHERE AND SEEK BETTER MEDICAL CARE
many patient ends up at gentle rest the house of no return having visited the P M H that is why so many people go overseas for treatment,
It will be filled with chinese doctors — wait an see
We are really in need of a change in the Health Care System in Dominica. All the best to you Mr. Darroux.
I’m excited to see how the health sector will turn out under a new minister. At least they put one peg in the right hole.
When the leader of a country and his wife decide to have their baby born overseas when there are perfectly adequate facilities for that in their own country no further questions are necessary.
Those that can leave, do. The rest are stuck. Misdiagnosis is a problem as well as getting the best treatment.
Wait a minute Hon. Dr Darroux. Am I to read that for 5 years you were member of the cabinet and you never brought this issue to the attention of your colleagues? Now that you are in charge you realize too many people going overseas for treatment. I guess you wanted them to sink and then send a lifeline. Too bad how we think politically. No doubt the Pm is fed with all of you.
Please do not adopt a myopic approach to staffing the new hospital. We are part of the OECS for a reason. We should staff the hospital with the most experienced and qualified medical professionals, irrespective of their country of origin or nationality.
Sure it would be nice to see more trained Dominicans employed there, but nationality alone should not be the deciding factor. Our customer service skills is wholly lacking at PMH. That will not change by employing only Dominicans. We need to incorporate new blood to help change and create a new and improved customer service mantra at PMH.
Why have we allowed politics to divided us as a nation? Our comments on this forum speaks volumes about us. We keep airing our dirty laundry for the whole to see and seem not to support each other when someone comes up with a thought or an idea. We are the most divided race of people and can’t seem to get our act together. Every other ethnic group supports each other; but when it comes to us we tear each other down with words and pull each other down like crabs in a bucket. There is a famous saying, “united we stand, divided we fall.” The country is at a crossroad now and it seems like the elections have made things worse. Unless we educate ourselves about our history, we’ll continue that perpetuation of division, hatred, jealousy and envy as written by Willie Lynch, “The Making of a Slave.”
“The William Lynch speech is an address purportedly delivered by a certain William Lynch (or Willie Lynch) to an audience on the bank of the James River in Virginia in 1712 regarding control of slaves within the colony.[1] The letter purports to be a verbatim account of a short speech given by a slave owner, in which he tells other slave masters that he has discovered the “secret” to controlling black slaves by setting them against one another.” This is just part of the letter which has followed us ever since.
We need to break loose from that mental control. The shackles of slavery have been removed from our feet and hands but not from our minds.
We need to “emancipate ourselves from mental slavery.” (Brother Bob Marley)
ONE LOVE
Well if shutting up is emancipating oneself from mental slavery Out of Sout City then you have a serious problem. DNO gives people a forum to express their democratic right. A PM goes overseas to have a baby speaks volume of a country’s medical facility. People cannot close their eyes to these types of things. That shut up mentality you all want people to have will never happen.
You are yet to understand my comment.
Labour has been in office for the past 14 yrs.Doc stop talking like an opposition who just took office 6 days ago.
If he wants to to be innovative, cost conscious, modern and supportive of all Dominicans. He/They will have a ward for Naturopathic medicine which is at the heart of Traditional Dominican life. This will also support the many Naturopathic doctors and patients as well a as reduce the overall cost of treatment. Not to mention the education that comes from Naturopathy will be a preventative measure to avert most of the health issues plaguing our country.!
Hello and good evening my people. Well I would like to give Dr Darroux an opportunity to improve the medical system because he’s a Doctor therefore I think he’s qualify to hold this position. I think he’s starting of on the wrong foot by saying he’s doing a serious inventory of the Staff at the hospital. Sir you don’t inventory human being rather you are evaluating the staff qualifications to determine if we have people to work at the new hospital if its ever built. Many of our citizens travel outside of Dominica for medical procedure because they have a better chance of survival and if you don’t believe me you can asked Tim, Tim and my aunt. We brought her to NYC where is had a Stent placed in one of her arteries. Good luck on your new position and I hope you can truly improve the medical system.
OMG! HE Just ERASED ALL DOUBTS!!!!! BETTER TO BE THOUGHT A FOOL … Now you just confirmed Dominica is run by a bunch of IMBECILES! THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS NON- EXISTENT ON THE ISLAND!! ARE YOU FOR REAL. Are you going to stop those who are fortunate to seek care overseas from leaving the Island. God have mercy on Dominica. People WAKE UP THIS A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME.
“I still feel that we are sending far too many people to neighboring countries for medical services, Darroux told reporters on Thursday.”
Darroux, before you commenced braying the reason why so many people have to seek medical treatment elsewhere is all because of the quacks they deal with in Dominica, some of those people who claim to be practicing medical doctors in Dominica, should not be granted a medical license to function anyway, because they do not know what they are doing. Many people have been admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital, and days after they were admitted, they came out dead. One of the problem with so called doctors in our country is that they missed diagnose the patients more than half of the time.
If the diagnosis is wrong in the first place; every treatment given after that will also be wrong, and will result in death every time; and that is why people die so often in the Princes Margaret Hospital. Secondly, there are few specialists operating in Dominica; i.e. in Dominica there is a large majority of people living with diabetes. In spite of that I do not know of a single endocrinologist working in the country, there comes a time when a diabetic need to be treated by an endocrinologist who is train in that field to treat chronically ill diabetes.
There are no kidney specialist in Dominica, basically anybody suffering from diabetes, will eventually have problems with their eyes, heart, and kidney’s since diabetics is a progressive diseases. If if we do not have doctors with the training and skills to treat people at home rather than they die at the hands of some so called Cuban quacks; is it not better for them to seek medical treatment somewhere; where their chances of survival are greater than dying from malpractice in Dominica? My niece died as a result of malpractice of some idiot at Princes Margaret Hospital recently. This woman was viciously beaten by a criminal, she went to the Princes Margaret Hospital several times from the day she was beaten complaining of injuries she sustains to her head. Each time the idiotic quacks at the hospital send her home without any treatment!
Any first year medical student, or even a premed student would have known the least of anything they should have done was to admit her into the hospital if for nothing else than observation. My niece bleed internationally until she succumb to the injuries. We are in modern times, yet Dominica hospital does not have an MRI machine, what’s the point of this idiot Darroux talking crap. You can build a thousand buildings and write the words Hospital all over them will not matter, if it is not properly equip with properly trained medical doctors, and specialist in certain areas of medical practice okay.
Why did Timothy while head of the hospital, suffered a mile stroke fled the island to Martinique for treatment, why did Savarin spend so many months in Martinique receiving treatment, while he was in government? I will say why, it’s because they have no confidence in the quacks they unleash on Dominicans calling themselves doctors serving in the nations hospitals when they do not know what the heck they are doing!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
yes including the prime minister and wife and numerous ministers of government to begin with…. upside down country.. good luck Dominica for the next 5 years.
I hope is not inventory alone they doing. I hope they are doing an efficiency audit of the so-called emergency department because that box they have people waiting in to speak to the nurse (if she there) does not show ‘care’ in health care. And 2 nurses per shift is NOT sufficient.
Yesssss! I agree with u my minister. Nu Ka twavay!!
we need to address the issue of preventive health serious in DA. We need a massive education campaign to get the people back on a more natural food diet(limit or eradicate the tobacco smoke, limit the alcohol), exercise(work the land, climb the mountains, swim in the sea and river, play more sports) and educate our youths on the health and financial impact of living off the shelf food and fast food. This is where we should start right now. You don’t have to break the bank to achieve results. The preventive approach should be paramount followed closely by modern day medical system for repairing and maintaining health of DA citizens. If we don’t take this approach we will be running into some serious cost overruns with our medical system and real pain and suffering.
reviewing the staff …. please do, star by Min of Health PS and CMO, ignorants
He’s going to do an excellent job. I very much doubt our Heath system will be the same when he’s done with it. So to all of us who would wish to preempt what is to come, stick a pin in it!
Like he did a fantastic job in fisheries and the environment…lmao….
You talking plenty eh Darroux, soon skerrit will put a muzzle on your mouth and ask u to sit in a corner. You think u are going to shine as no minister of health
If mista was a good medic, he would have given priority to his practice rather than go into politics.
Good move however besides needing a huge improvement in customer service and facility upgrades in the area of health care, another issue which needs to be addressed by the minister and other top health professionals… the issue of patient confidentiality among doctors, nurses, health aides and volunteers. Too many times, I have heard patients health history on the streets, discussed by employees and it is not a Roseau issue, it happens at the Marigot Hospital as well but it is more rampant in Roseau. Protocol needs to be followed in that these heath care providers need to realize that they are professionals and an oath was taken. At no time, should a patient be cared for and subsequently find that neighbors, fellow villagers etc know the reason for their hospital stay, how their private parts look and in some cases, their death or cause of death, even before their own family is aware. Every patient needs to be treated with respect and their private information should be not even be released to family members without the consent of that patient. Some persons wonder why Mrs. Skerrit and so many others have their babies overseas. Hats off to Mrs. Skerrit because all Dominicans would have known by now the exact dimensions of her private parts among other things. This has to stop for everyone! People should feel safe, assured and secure whenever they set foot in any medical facility on the island, regardless of class.
Sir, please consider adding a “stream” or even a department/faculty just for sixth 6th form or CAPE at the DSC, especially for science students, we have no other options compared to business students who may go to BTC or Lead institute.
To get accepted to study medicine at UWI,(which is much more affordable than US universities, we need 3 or 4 GCE A levels or equivalent which is like 3 or 4 two-unit subjects at CAPE. The college as is, does not cater for these because doing THREE majors have now become almost an impossible feat because of all the electives they keep adding each year. This used to be so easy when without all these electives, you could concentrate in 6th form on your 3 or 4 subjects, and Domincans used to do as much as 5(chem, bio, physics, math, and general paper). Anyone remembers that?
Now we would have more Dr Shillingfords, etc, if we could just concentrate on our 4 CAPE A levels, do our exams, pass it and get accepted to UWI and the likes, where we could easily take our loan and go study medicine or engineering or Pharmacy or biochemistry, etc.
Yes, the associate degree is great, especially for those able to go USA to study but for poor ppl like me and my students,
PLEASE CONSIDER PUTTING A STREAM for CAPE especially for science or STEM career-oriented students
Ms Catherine Daniel, advocate for us na please.
You of all ppl know how much we missing out on eh, when we even fraid to apply because we doe have the CAPE that UWI has as prerequisite for their Med program or if we doe have plenty money(times 2.67)
And what accountability measures will be built in? Whats the procedure for complaints, wil there be a list of operational standards that patients should expect and demand? How many complaints will lead to a reprimand or termination? Because ultimately, if no one ever gets fired for poor performance, whats the incentive to stay on top of their game?
As always…the usual platitudes with nothing to bite into. When will this review commence/conclude? When can we expect to see changes? What is the scheduled date for new hospital’s completion? What new protocols will be implemented to ensure better care? what new services will be completed at PMH?
I want the Pointe Michel ppl to know the truth also …my other proposal for economic upliftment of LaPte was also dismissed because the govt was bulding one in Layou ( that project is non existent in Layou)….
They have made Everything about politics
Well let me open the endoscopic service I proposed . It’s all nonsense and politics and these guys never listen. I had the biggest endoscopic equipment company ready to work with me in Dominica and 12 American surgeons ready to assist . I was dismissed like a little boy and said the Chinese govt will be building a new hospital . My ppl this was 2 yrs ago.
Kenneth you know who this is !!! You have my email
Tim Tim that’s what I am talking about! you did not know Nothingggggg about health care! so now here we go, lets hope for professionalism at the best!
Tim Tim you were just another opportunist!
He is no longer the minister of health. Why do you feel it necessary to mention his name? Leave the man alone and in peace.
these ministers make me and others SICK and that is not a figure os speach
Hmmmmm…….I wonder which Dominicans he is referring to when saying that too many Dominicans are leaving the country for health care provisions. Are they not simply following their leaders’ leads???
Do not compare leaders to non-leaders. Leaders can afford it. Can the others afford it?
Are they recommended by their doctors? If they cannot afford it, who pays for their airfare and healthcare in other countries? Their relatives usually travel with them. Who pays for their fare and accommodation?
he is not referring to anyone specific. I realize that some people do not know what a general statement is; well this is one of them. He is simply stating that he would like to see more medical services offered to Dominicans here so that they don’t have to go overseas on such a wide scale; and that the new hospital will help make that a reality. the point wasn’t really the ppl seeking health care elsewhere so much as to the improvement of health care in our own country Dominica.
You can build the best state of art hospital but if equipements, medication, qualified staff and customer service is not available people will still seek that security off state.
On the other hand people find the necessary money to pay medicare off state but refuses to pay a dime in Dominica.
So good luck on trying to make a change on a population who has no confidence in medicare in Dominica.
Stop being negative it a new era..You must be party colour blind?
Most staff just think of it as a job as opposed to saving a life… I hope the new hospital will change some mindsets because I can assure you that if my life is in peril, I will not take the chance of seeking medical help here…
if you guys cannot make good comments shut up.
People only go overseas for treatment if they have no confidence in the level and/or quality of service they receive locally. I highly doubt a concrete structure will change that.
I’ve been saying this for a very long time. It’s time we build the health sector! Build it up so that we won’t have to go overseas for treatment and that other caribbean nationals can seek us out for their treatment. We need to increase the number of specialized and sub-specialized doctors and nurses. We need to get the health sector to a place where it can contribute to our economy and no longer a burden on the backs of tax payers. I also think, and people may disagree, that for my latter point to happen the health sector will need to be run as a business. Too many people go to PMH and leave without paying their bills. I accept that the global economy has been shot to hell and things are hard in all corners of the world. But we have to do what we have to do. If you can’t pay it in one lump sum…fine. There should be a debt and collections department put in place to help people work out a payment plan. And for the persons who decide the can walk out and not pay in full…after a specified grace period they need to be prosecuted. If the minister is willing to do that we will be heading in the right direction.
Also…another thing I think that should be looked into is the fact that government pays the surgeons at PMH a monthly salary…yet if one goes to their office and requires surgery, they book the surgery…you have to pay them in full to get the surgery done…and to some extent u r considered a private patient. Then these same surgeons after you pay them those crazy fees, do your surgery, using the equipment, electricity and medicine at PMH, which mind you belongs to tax payers, to get the job done. While all that, not a cent of that money they earned from the so called private patient goes into the public purse. No way…it is wrong…I think government should charge these surgeons a percentage of what they charge their private patients as payment for everything being used during these cases…time to stop putting tax payers money to used while they not getting anything from it and a select few getting cuz there is nothing in place to stop it. This is another way to cut down the economic loss which PMH is being run at…just my two cents.
teach nurses customer service. Have better facilities like separate rooms for patients with more than one bathroom and toilet for a ward. maybe then i may stay. until then…i thank God everyday for my health cus i know id die in PMH. If not id escape every chance i get.
Inventory is not going to prevent folks from leaving based on the poor incentives to stay. I hope there will be money in the budget to run the recurrent expenses at the hospital. By the way nothing said about the woeful customer service and patient care. A new facility does not translate to better care necessarily. If you need to take stock of anything Mr Minister is what you need to do right now to uplift the standard of patient care and medical staff appreciation. Finally if too many Dominicans are seeking help overseas its simply a reflection of upside down priorities. After all if the new facilities would make a difference then it should have been priority over many other physical developments including the stadium, and yes of course the president house. Also, much care is due to an insufficiently robust primary care (including education) and mismatched priorities. We encourage sewo, sewo, and unhealthy eating. Dominica is documented as being at the top of the list in the region in terms of obesity. We do not have basic items at the hospital. Yes relatives of hospital patients still have to go to pharmacies to supplement medicines. What about the Marigot hospital? Any news on that? Are we waiting for some air disaster to be more of a priority? Heart disease and hypertension is still a number one killer, followed by other avoidable calamities including many accidents. How many people continue to drive every day without seat belts and ride without helmets and people die unnecessarily as a result? Not one minmister has come out against that or suggested laws to combat that. This is not rocket science. I know you got to say something somewhat intelligent regarding your new appointment but you are not only a doctor, you are well aware of the issues. Stop playing politics and deal with the REAL issues, now. You do not need an inventory.
Pedro, You have hit the nail right on the head!!
He hit the medical and commonsense G sport Megso? LMAO too . Any sexy ladies going oooh!
Megso ur G spot is bony too bony.
what the hell allu want people to do allu cannot applaud ppl for any good thing that they do goshhh man
applauding foolishness only allows foolishness to flourish
Pedro,
Don’t mix chalk and cheese. Seatbelt laws are on the books already. That’s not the job of the minister to address such. It is the job of law enforcement – police officers and the commissioner of police to ensure that those are enforced.
Pedro you are right on brother. Hopefully, your words fall on the ears of decision makers. These are the type of practical solutions that we need to move Dominica forward.
Pedro, you could write this minister of health and offer your suggestion and advice.
I could not agree more!
Way to go Dr darroux. The nurses and doctors of pmh are with u 100%
There is an atending doctor at PMH who needs to learn how to deal with patients. She is rude and needs a class in customer service and maybe people will come to PMH for care.. My dad was sick I came home and brought up to New York with me because we could do that. Change the system for those who have no choice.
Please name and shame her.. She is paid by the state to serve the people..
You would not be one of those Dominicans who came home to vote courtesy of the DLP, would you?
From Pte Carib?
Stop lying!!! The junior doctors maybe but not those lazy *** consultants. All of them bad talking the man and he hasn’t even started as yet! Doc all I have to say is trust no one. And in all the upgrading of the hospital primary health care and your health centers need attention.