by Rishard Khan
Trinidad and Tobago (Guardian) – A coalition of local stakeholders, including doctors, is calling on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to refrain from signing the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) proposed pandemic accord in its current form.
The group penned an open letter to Rowley which is published in eight whole page adds in Thursday’s Guardian. (See Pages 24 to 31).
It was also sent to President Christine Kangaloo, Ministry of Health heads and other stakeholders and policy-makers.
In all there are nine doctors as signatories to the letter, three religious leaders, and three labour representatives. There are also 16 civil advocates including Clarence Mendoza, Edward Moodie, Gary Aboud, Robert Amar, and Umar Abdullah.
The letter has also been endorsed by 14 organisations like the National Trade Union Centre and the Concerned Parents Movement.
The primary author of the letter, Dr Rajiv Seereeram, told Guardian Media the group agrees with the intention of the agreement—a globally coordinated approach to dealing with pandemics. However, he said, in its current form, the accord could do more harm than good.
