To Whom It May Concern:
Having read the front page article in the Daily Herald of today July 15, 2009 I would like to take this opportunity to reply to the article.
1. Since when are police officers (in what ever function) medical doctors??
2. St. Maarten has a mental health foundation that cares for persons with mental problems.
3. The Daily Herald did not contact us for information!!!
Our Police force is now labeling all persons walking naked in Orient Beach mental patients they are also labeling any person with a heat stroke mental. If we accept this on St. Maarten, we no longer need to go to a doctor. We can go to the police station for a diagnosis, for heart problems or back pain because we are accepting them as qualified to do so.
That is not how it works. There are health care laws that stipulate who can diagnose a patient with an illness and there is a reason for this. Patients are to be protected because they are ill; not labeled by police officers who are not allowed to do so.
There is also something as a patients/doctor confidentiality clause. Medics pledge a confidentiality oath before becoming qualified to diagnose a patient.
For months now the police station no longer has a police physician. The Mental Health foundation has brought the seriousness of this situation to the attention of the official authorities for months now. We have written letters and requested meetings with the acting police commissioner to solve the problems they have with our patients for months now. Since we were getting no answer the Lt Governor was informed. We got an answer that our letters were forwarded to the same persons who are not willing to help.
All information sent to police and health officials is to inform them that the police cannot diagnose person’s illness.
Now mentally challenged patients are being labeled “streaking” this is so disgraceful I do not have words for it.
Eileen Healy, Director Mental Health Foundation
