PM's health card plan gets 91 per cent support in new poll

Voters in Trinidad and Tobago overwhelmingly support the People's Partnership plan for a health card that would give citizens free medical attention at doctors' offices across the country.

The card is being rolled out in phases and would provide computerised data on patients that would be available by scanning the card. In addition it would provide necessary medication at no cost to patients.

One of its key features would be free visits to any doctor. Patients would just have to present the card at the office for the visit and the government would pay the fees.  

Speaking at a political meetings in Fyzabad Monday night Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar gave the assurance that government will find the money to pay for the expanded health care service, which will ease demand at health care institutions all over the country.

A survey conducted by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association found that 91 per cent of respondents like the new health care initiative.

Do you support the Health Card

Yes	No	NS
91%	4%	5%

NACTA said this is one of the highest ratings of the Prime Minister in recent times "as she leads the Peoples Partnership in an uphill battle to retain control of corporations that the PP won in July 2010."  

The agency also said voters are divided on their support, with many traditional supporters of the government switching allegiances from the PP to the new Independent Liberal Party (ILP, led by former cabinet minister Jack Warner.

NACTA said a split vote is giving the People's National Movement (PNM) an advantage in a majority of the corporations. It said the poll suggests that the PNM can win seven of the 14 corporations although it noted the PNM is feeling some heat from the ILP in some PNM strongholds.

The agency said its findings on the health issue are based on interviews with over 2000 thousand voters reflecting the demographics of the population. 

For the election, it has polled 180 voters in each corporation.