The state-employed doctor who was filmed decrying the conditions at the Accident and Emergency Department of Milton Cato Memorial Hospital says his conduct was not unprofessional.
“So me seeing it and commenting to a colleague, how can that be unprofessional? You can’t call people unprofessional because it offends somebody…” Michael Goodluck, who has been a district medical officer since 2003, told iWitness News on Tuesday.
In the video, which was filmed last Friday, Goodluck is seen pointing out to hospital maintenance department employee Elroy Boucher what is said to be mould in the roof of the emergency room.
Boucher is also president of the Public Service Union and Goodluck said the union boss happened to be there at the time.
“Why every time society speaks out about the ills and wrongs you are unprofessional or you hate someone or your intentions are not exactly admirable,” Goodluck told iWitness News.
“It is sad. It is very, very sad. What is the sense you are telling somebody you are right in what you are saying but you shouldn’t say it. That is not consistent with common sense and logic,” he said.
“And hear what they calling it, ‘ranting’,” he said, referring to a media report on the development.
“Tell them to look up the definition of ranting. I was not loud and making aggressive stupid remarks. I was having a calm conversation albeit it was very disturbing to me and to anyone who concerned about healthcare and wellbeing of their fellowman,” said Goodluck, who also outlined the dangers of being in a mould-infested room, said
“You are not supposed to have an emergency room or any health facility looking like that…”
Goodluck said he was at the department to perform a surgical procedure on a child and was told that there was no plaster at the Accident and Emergency Department where the procedure was done.
This, he said, was “appalling”.
“Every time you say something, they are telling you that your intention was not what it appears. I am a genuine person. This is not about politics. I have no interest for no minister or so forth. I can only work with what they are presented with,” said Goodluck who has been employed by the state since 1999, after being trained in England.
“It is real sad. I ain’t no just come. I am a Vincentian doctor and I care about my community, I care about my people and I want to see optimal health care. I don’t like it when people die when they ought not to,” he said.
Very good doctor, if you see something ,say something .we as. Certain people settled for ANY thing , & when someone speak up & get results thay want the. Credit.
Sometimes sadly it’s the only way you can get the attention of those in authority. Well done Dr Goodluck..know you mean well.
On a topic that is health related.Didn’t government close down a place in Beachmont for selling and storing cement and are they aware that Calliaqua has people putting up with the same cement storage in their midst? Hope this isn’t a double standard.
Ulp love you to death
Stand up Mike, for what is Right, you are a Health Doctor, number one priority is saving life, Vincentian life , men and women who is not in the same Financial position to fly out with their families for medical.care.
You are a strong Calliaqua man, and we never run can, be defeated, can buy out political.
Mike, want you to speak about the Cement dust, and health problems later our people in Calliaqua will suffer from when those in health service from Minister of health care little now.
Who give the Gonsalves famil permission to put a Cement Distribution plant in heart of Calliaqua, need give us some answer this what the media house should be asking.
I witness News run a story, and nothing was do done to trap the cement from travel in the air, wetting the ground with water is not a remedy. Dumb! Cement moves in the Air,. This needs to stop.
Mike, you grew up humble from a kid, and work very hard to excel in your field like many others from calliaqua not from rich, families , as we was taught,” take little and live” that is our motto. We do not sell our conscience!
Stand up Calliaquaman
My two cents
Doc your points are well taken, I know you wanted the public to hear you but why complain to Boucher?Who is Boucher again and where is he employed and what is his position?
Andre Richards, you asked, “Who is Boucher again and where is he employed and what is his position?” Boucher is president of the Public Service Union of which Dr. Goodluck is a member. He has all right to point out the situation to the union boss who happened to be there at the time. Mr. Boucher, the Union boss, can now make an official statement to bring about public awareness to the matter.
Kudos to you Dr. Goodluck for taking a stance on behalf of the People, you are a doctor and therefore your professionalism is about being there and looking after the sick and you have not strayed from your calling. Thanks again……Peace Love and Community Unity
Too true. How can this be improved in SVG?
CEMENT AND OUR ENVORIMENT.
Health issues in Calliaqua that is crying for help, where are the media houses in SVG? Where are the Health workers in SVG? Where are environmentalists in SVG? Where are the Human Rights Organization in SVG? Where is the so called church leader for Human Rights?.
Is our Government knows that a Cement Distribution Center is the Heart Of CALLIQUA, […] AS A CALLIAQUAMAN I AM GREATLY CONCERN ABOUT LONG TERM HEAILTH OF MY FAMILIES. (COMMUNTY} We are poor and neglected people by your government, we only good for poloticing.
DO YOU KNOW THERE ARE HOUSES FIFTEEN FEET (15 FT) AWAY FROM PLANT, AND MAIN ROAD TO PLANT ALSO,
DO YOU KNOW THAT MY PEOPLE HAVE TO INHALE ALL THE DUST FROM THE CEMENT , ALL THE FUMES FROM TRUCK, HYDRAULIC MACHINES FOR LIFTING CEMENT?
Do know the run off of water is dangerous, and for little children who play around that area?
Mr Government please close down this opporation in Calliaqua if you love us and care about our health.
Calliaqua Man {Dr Mike} spoke about the Hospital and mole etcs, and was taken to task, by clonnies and dumbmies, because they are not affected.
Risk of Developing Skin Problems
Portland cement are at risk of developing skin problems, ranging from mild and brief to severe and chronic. Wet portland cement can damage the skin because it is caustic, abrasive, and absorbs moisture. Portland cement also contains trace amounts of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)], a toxin harmful to the skin.
Exposure to cement pollution has been linked to a number of different health outcomes, starting from modest transient changes in the respiratory tract and impaired pulmonary function, continuing to restricted activity/reduced performance, emergency room visits and hospital admissions and to mortality
There is also increasing evidence for adverse effects of cement pollution not only on the respiratory system, but also on the cardiovascular system (Dockery and pope, 1993). The most severe effects in terms of the overall health burden include a significant reduction in life expectancy of the average population of workers by a month or more ( Samet et al., 2000), which is linked to the long-term exposure to high levels of air pollution with PM from these cement industries(Sheppard, 1990; Pope and Dockery, 2006; Grau, 2009)).
Is this dust harmful, and what are the risks?
Inhalation
When you think about dust hazards, the first item of PPE you might consider is a dust mask. But why do we need to protect our lungs when it comes to concrete and cement dust?
It might surprise you to know that concrete and cement dust contains silica. If you don’t know much about silica, in dust form, it’s deadly. Silica dust is one of the biggest killers of construction workers, second to asbestos. Silica dust kills around 800 people every year in the UK.
Concrete and mortar can contain up to 25%-70% silica so concentrations can be pretty high. The higher the level of silica, the more at risk you are from silica-related lung disease. Because of the seriousness of silica dust, and its deadly effects, there are legal requirements to protect workers from exposure. So you should think about more than just dust masks. To reduce dust exposure, consider damping down, ventilation and extraction.
Find out more about silica dust exposure limits, regulations and the law.
Apart from silica content, cement and concrete dust can be harmful by inhalation in other ways. On contact with moisture in your mouth, cement and concrete dust forms a corrosive and highly alkaline solution. We cover this in more detail in the skin section below, but if you don’t want this dust on your skin, you are not going to want it in your mouth, nose or lungs either! When using or producing cement and concrete dust, protect your airways.
Is this dust harmful, and what are the risks?
Inhalation
When you think about dust hazards, the first item of PPE you might consider is a dust mask. But why do we need to protect our lungs when it comes to concrete and cement dust?
It might surprise you to know that concrete and cement dust contains silica. If you don’t know much about silica, in dust form, it’s deadly. Silica dust is one of the biggest killers of construction workers, second to asbestos. Silica dust kills around 800 people every year in the UK.
Concrete and mortar can contain up to 25%-70% silica so concentrations can be pretty high. The higher the level of silica, the more at risk you are from silica-related lung disease. Because of the seriousness of silica dust, and its deadly effects, there are legal requirements to protect workers from exposure. So you should think about more than just dust masks. To reduce dust exposure, consider damping down, ventilation and extraction.
Find out more about silica dust exposure limits, regulations and the law.
Apart from silica content, cement and concrete dust can be harmful by inhalation in other ways. On contact with moisture in your mouth, cement and concrete dust forms a corrosive and highly alkaline solution. We cover this in more detail in the skin section below, but if you don’t want this dust on your skin, you are not going to want it in your mouth, nose or lungs either! When using or producing cement and concrete dust, protect your airways.
Skin
Cement based products, like concrete or mortar, can cause serious skin problems such as dermatitis and burns. Fine cement and concrete dust can land on exposed skin, and get trapped between loose clothing and skin. The dust reacts with sweat or damp clothing to form a corrosive solution, which will damage your skin.
Wet cement is highly alkaline in nature. A serious burn or ulcer can rapidly develop if it is trapped against the skin. In extreme cases, these burns may need a skin graft or cause a limb to be amputated.
HSE Cement
Even if you don’t get a burn or an ulcer from contact, damage to your skin can still occur. You might not notice the damage on the first contact. But regular contact with concrete and cement dust can lead to irritant contact dermatitis. This is a painful skin condition where the skin becomes:
• red
• dry
• swollen
• cracked
Over time, allergic contact dermatitis can develop. This is a more serious condition, which can prevent your working with cement or concrete because any contact at all cannot be tolerated by your skin.
The good news is that manufacturers add an ingredient to reduce the risk of allergic contact dermatitis. But this only lasts for a limited time. So make sure that you use cement bags within the date marked on them.
Find out more about avoiding dermatitis from cement contact.
Eyes
When cement and concrete dust enters your eyes, it can react with the natural moisture present. This can lead to redness, burns, or in more serious cases, blindness.
Chemical eye burns, such as the types caused by cement and concrete dust can just be a minor irritation, but they can also be extremely painful and life-altering.
My two cent
Instead of wasting time trying to muzzle the voices of those who decry the decaying institutions, why not use the protests to drive you to improve whatever is the concern? From what I heard, and could see from the vidio, (thank you Mr. Goodluck), deplorable conditions exist in the hospital. I am sure the PM would not be caught dead in that place should he fell ill.
DOCTOR TALKS – AUTHORITIES LISTEN – FIX THEM
No medical doctor or healthcare provider shall be cowed into silence.
It is not necessarily what is said, but what shall be done to remedy a situation.
If the good Doctor had decried the health facility, that may have been viewed differently.
Now discoursing with one of the ‘…facility’s caretakers’ and pointing out his observations could never be deemed ‘unprofessional.’
More like bringing awareness to a troubling problem of neglect, systemic or otherwise.
The environment and conditions under which they are required to render humanitarian services, shall be made conducive to their willingness to help the ‘…sick; …treat and heal the injured and prolong the life of the dying.’
It now begs the question, ‘…How many public officials are taken there for emergency medical attention?
Much easier for a ‘…private doctor’ to visit their homes, diagnosed their condition and issue prescriptions. Not so for the indigent who must constantly wallow in squalid conditions.
Whatever is, or might be causing dissatisfaction in medical staff and patients, ‘…Fix Them.’
There would be very little need to complain or to accused doctors of being ‘…unprofessional.’
When would STUPID vincentian wake up and stop making everything about politics and Ralph or whoever. When would we stop being so blatantly ruthlessly naive about our health our children and grandchildren(s) health. So the man decided to speak up about something that quite obviously would affect anyone and everyone going into that place the workers who most of them are in there 24/7, yet we see it fit to say that Dr. Goodluck shouldnt bite the hands that feed him, seriously can u get any dumber, unless some of u r able to fly out for a common cold like these politicians do sit the hell down and shut up and let ppl speak for their rights. Dr Goodluck u r one of the best Drs we have right now in Svg I don’t know u personally but my experiences from working with u as a student I learnt a lot. You were about your patients well being then and u r still the same today.Some of these ppl who only can see politics in everything I’m assume they came under the education revolution ….now that’s another story on its own.. DEAR DR GOODLUCK PLEASE CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU DO BEST..
Mr.Goodluck, it wouldnt surprise me if i see you in the grenadines pretty soon. we will welcome you with open arms. when you speak the truth, they will they to muzzle you but please continue speaking out and doing your good works.
The elites think that they have the financial means to always fly out for medical attention. Quite offten am immediate medical emergency does not give warning. It means before an air ambulance can br made available to take a patient overseas , there may be a need to use local medical facilities. Accordingly, our medical facilities may have to be called into action. Our medical facilities are as strong as its weakest link .
We should make one thing clear. The vast problems of everything to do with our Health Care in SVG is not necessarily the fault of the Minister. Healthcare is expensive, good Healthcare is even more expensive, and it appears that the government does not allocate enough to that department. The government really does have to prioritize and manage money better. We rarely hear of too little money for Tourism and NEVER hear of not enough for Customs.
Maybe the government needs to start allocating money for the upkeep of all government buildings, (and roads), It has been announced that they will start repairing all the deplorable conditions of our schools and maybe get enough desks so children do not have to stand during lessons.
Instead of government officials making so many trips overseas someone should inform our government of the invention called “the telephone” or the online program called “Skype”. Then we can prioritize revenue much better. Not everything is “Top Secret” and needs a face-to-face meeting. Even Donald Trump uses telephone knowing it is not secure.
I actually fear for the good doctors safety and being able to continue working for the government. We must all stay aware if the outflow of hatred and spite flows and encapsulates the dear man.
Keep watching people do not allow him to become another victim.