Dawes demands details on number of ICU spaces available

By Kimone Witter    

 

Opposition Spokesman on Health & Wellness Dr. Alfred Dawes has expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation from the Health Ministry, in response to his concerns about the number of adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds available in the public health system.

 

According to Dr. Dawes, despite there being 191 registered ventilators in the system, he has received reports that there are fewer than 40 ICU beds island-wide.

 

He further explained that, before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were fewer than 35 proper ICU spaces, not counting makeshift recovery room spaces.

 

Dr. Dawes says there are now about 35 proper ICU spaces.

 

He has called for the Health Ministry to confirm or deny the reports.

 

Dr. Dawes says the ministry should also state clearly, the country's ICU capacity and outline the steps being taken to increase that capacity to meet the demands of the population. 

 

"This is unacceptable and what it is doing is allowing a situation to flourish where people are denied vital and lifesaving surgeries. Trauma victims, patients with severe infections, post-surgical patients, patients who are bleeding or suffering from other medical illnesses are forced to wait to see if someone dies or gets better to come off a ventilator. Oftentimes what obtains is that the staff in these ICU facilities, they are forced to make a decision of who gets to live and who dies. This is an untenable situation and it must be addressed," he asserted. 

 

On initially raising the issue, Dr. Dawes claimed that there were only 1.2 beds per 100,000 patients.

 

Health & Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton dismissed this, contending that a lack of specialised staff was the problem, which the government was addressing.