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Patients protest lack of efficiency at GPHC
…woman collapses after prolonged wait for medical attention
Patients, unable to wait for hours upon hours to obtain medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), recently summoned this media house to the institution’s Medical Outpatient Unit.
There were only two doctors working, and some persons who were there since 05:30 hrs and 06:00 hrs were still waiting to access medical attention late in the day.
Patients awaiting medical attention at the GPHC’s Outpatient Unit.
Some patients said that there was no one present to ensure there was order with the numbering and seating arrangement, which should prevent people from barging their way in before others who would have been there before them.
Some persons related that the lone female security officer at the location seemed more interested in having her ‘personal conversation’ with nurses at the facility, and with abusing the protesting patients.
As a result of the prolonged waiting, it was reported that one woman collapsed on her face at the institution. This fact was confirmed by nurses at the hospital.
Even though the nursing supervisor was issuing numbers in batches of 30, at around 12:00 hrs, the first thirty persons were not yet attended to.
Patients were complaining bitterly at the institution, and some related that they were turned away many days and were forced to ‘spend money to return at other periods,’ due to the huge buildup of patients at the facility.
Maureen Sannsculotte, of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo, was at the hospital since 05:30; she failed to receive medical attention, while Jean Richardson of West Ruimveldt, who complained of feeling extremely nauseous, arrived at the hospital at 06:00 hrs and was still waiting at 16:00 hours.
Shirley Goodman, of Sophia, Turkeyen, Georgetown, was adamant that the hospital needs at least four doctors to work one shift, provided they cease to ‘halt work at various intervals’ and refuse to work further even if there are patients at the facility with serious illnesses.
Patients argued that if they are taxpayers they could not understand why they had to be revisiting the hospital two and three days to access the medical attention which should be available on the spot.
Some patients argued that when this happens they face grave problem on their jobs, as they are forced to remain at the GPHC for several hours trying to be examined by doctors.
Kaieteur News approached the senior nurse in charge at the Outpatient Unit for a comment, and was told that there is a significant increase in patients coming for treatment at the hospital.
This is because people are not accessing the same service at the health centres in their districts and villages. She said that the hospital is unable to deal with the large influx of patients coming to the Medical Outpatient Unit.
When contacted, Chief Executive Officer Michael Khan noted that, as stated by the Health Ministry, every medical centre is supposed to be equipped with a doctor. He advised that it ‘would be a good thing’ if checks can be made on the health centres that are supposedly void of doctors.
If this allegation is true, he said, then the Health Ministry should be contacted to look into that situation.
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