Mental Health Unit Director, Dr Util Thomas was fired in January but was last week informed that she would be rehired and will be posted to the East Coast of Demerara Enterprise Health Centre instead.
A letter from Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Malcolm Watkins officially informed Thomas of the move to rehire her but sources say it was only on the intervention of a former government official.
“Reference is made to Ministry’s letter of even number dated 2022-01-27, whereby you were informed of Administration’s decision to terminate your services within this Ministry as Director, Mental Health Unit with effect from 2022-03-23, inclusive in keeping with Clause 7(a) of the contract which you executed on 2019-08-14,” the letter said.
“Please be informed that after further deliberation on the matter, a decision has been taken to rescind your termination and for you to be re- designated as Government Medical Officer with effect from 2022-03-22, inclusive. A decision has also been taken for you to be assigned duties at the Enterprise Health Center, East Coast Demerara to function as the doctor in charge of that facility,” it added.
Thomas could not be reached for comment but this newspaper understands that she has not yet gotten the necessary documentation to begin work on the East Coast of Demerara.
Last week, Dr Marlan Cole’s tenure as the Director of the Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) came to an abrupt end when he was reassigned with immediate effect.
It was Watkins who officially informed Cole of the decision following a meeting with him. Sources close to the agency believe Cole, a long-serving public servant, is being forced out of office.
During his tenure, he had several notable clashes with importers over shipments of foodstuff and pharmaceuticals that the GA-FDD found to have failed to meet local requirements. In the face of criticisms, Cole had previously said that the protection of public health was his paramount consideration and that he executed his responsibilities without fear or favour.
For Dr. Thomas who has over 20 years’ experience treating mental health issues and had been at the forefront of COVID-19 mental awareness programmes, she had to watch the unit she built being dismantled. It was she who led the charge in the establishment of a mental health department at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Before returning to Guyana in 2017, Dr. Thomas spent 15 years as Director of Mental Health in St Lucia.
But sources say that after the department’s establishment, Thomas was eventually informed that the unit and her services were no longer needed and that the department would be dismantled.
The former Director of the Mental Health Unit has posited that given the historical neglect and underfunding of the illness worldwide, it is expected that the need for mental health and psychosocial support services will increase in the coming months and years.
She had been championing a drive for persons here to be more sensitive and aware of mental health issues, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In December of 2020, the Ministry of Health had launched a 24-hour hotline to provide counselling services to people suffering from mental illness.
