Last week we reported that the Central Medical Lab had run out of re-agents. A serious situation since re-agents are used to test blood that is donated. That means, without re-agents, patients who need surgery or victims of car accidents and gunshots, may not be able to get the blood they need to survive. According to a letter written by a senior medical technologist to Dr Francis Morey, the CML was out of key re-agents.
On Wednesday we asked the Minister of Health about it and he conceded to shortages - but he said they still had some supplies available.
Hon. Kevin Bernard - Minister of Health
"The information that may have come out may not been all that true. I mean we did have some issues with the tuberculosis agents. It was a delay in the supply. I know that this week, in fact those Reagents are coming into country and we had enough supply that could have last us up to the end of April or end of March, I am told. Those are things that I have said, in terms of the entire process that we have to do at the ministry must be improved, cannot be repeated and we must ensure that there shall be no form of shortages of supply, or medications, or Reagent or whatever it is. I just want to clarify that we were not out of Reagents, just that there was limited supply."
Jules Vasquez
"So, how soon will it be solved?"
Hon. Kevin Bernard - Minister of Health
"I understand that those are already on our way to country and should be here over the weekend and I am hoping that by Monday, Tuesday those things are cleared."
