September 26, 2021 – Prime Minister, Dr. the Right Honourable Keith Mitchell, has empathised with doctors, nurses and other frontline healthcare workers across the country, who have been at the forefront of Grenada’s fight against COVID-19.

In recent weeks, with the country’s transition to community spread and the exponential increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, healthcare workers, already stretched due to limited resources, have been put under immense pressure as they provide care to the increased number of persons requiring medical intervention.

The frontline team has also come face to face with the tragic loss of many lives, with multiple deaths on some days. Earlier this week, up to 12 deaths were recorded in a 24- hour period.

During a series of meetings with doctors and nurses at the country’s hospitals this week, the Prime Minister said, “It pains me to see that our nurses and doctors are bearing the brunt of this crisis, having to put their lives at risk every day. This is an enormous burden and I must applaud many of them for their continued dedication to serving the people of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.”

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the current environment requires many healthcare professionals to go beyond the call of duty.

He said, “In some countries, doctors and nurses have actually contracted the disease and died. Thankfully, we have not lost any of our healthcare team to this dreaded disease and I hope this situation does not materialise. I know that you are overwhelmed but I encourage you to continue doing what you can to save the lives of our people. I must at the same time, insist that you protect yourselves, even as you help others; this must be a priority going forward.”

Dr. Mitchell assured the healthcare providers that they will be duly recognised and rewarded for their role in this unprecedented battle. He said, “I appreciate the work that is being done, the enormous sacrifices that many are making. Thanks is certainly not enough and I assure you that Government will examine what we can do to ensure that you and all other deserving public officers, are appropriately recognised for your diligence and dedication in this dark hour. The healthcare system may have several challenges but we are committed to resolving as many of the issues as we can. All the problems will not be solved tomorrow, but every attempt will be made to ensure the necessary improvements.” The Prime Minister will continue his series of engagements with public officers during the next week. Where space permits, some of these engagements will be done in-person.