The public was assured of full transparency, then told to wait for the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) findings. Now, with the report in hand and containing some damning results for the government, we are being told it is not the full picture. Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh’s reaction to the report has raised eyebrows, questioning the investigation his ministry commissioned.
Deyalsingh’s insistence on the investigation’s flaws and the potential harm to the country’s relationship with global health stakeholders is concerning. His remarks about the NICU head and PoSGH chief of staff not being interviewed only adds to the confusion. The fact that PAHO highlighted recommendations already meant to be part of national procedure should raise red flags about compliance.
The government took a week to review the report, despite PAHO’s swift review process in April. The experts used various methods to gather information, though they could not interview every individual involved. The credibility of PAHO should not be dismissed lightly, especially considering their past partnership in the country’s pandemic response.
It is troubling to see the approach shift to discrediting the messenger rather than focusing on improving care standards, especially with such critical findings at hand.
