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Improvements promised at Diamond Diagnostic Centre
– Guard blamed for delay in dispatching ambulance
Management at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre on the East Bank of Demerara has blamed a security guard for some of the confusion that occurred on Good Friday night when an ambulance failed to pick up hit-and-run victim Romona Harris.
Officials told Kaieteur News that the ambulance is on “automatic dispatch”, and there is no need for the Director to be informed about routine assignments.
“The ambulance is on automatic dispatch. As soon as a call comes in, it’s sent off, once it’s available,” an official said.
Hit-and-run victim Romona Harris
The official said that a female security guard “misled the public”, by stating that the Director had to be informed before the ambulance was dispatched for Ms. Harris.
Kaieteur News has confirmed that the receptionist was not attempting to reach Hospital Director Dr. Anwar Hussain, as this newspaper had reported on Monday. In fact, she was attempting to reach another senior official.
Kaieteur News regrets the error.
According to the officials, the ambulance was eventually dispatched but by then a pickup had already brought Ms. Harris to the hospital.
On Good Friday night, the security guard had first told Kaieteur News that no ambulance driver was on duty. She had then located an ambulance driver, who said that he was only authorised to take patients from the Diagnostic Centre to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
While there are two ambulances in the compound, this newspaper confirmed yesterday that one of the vehicles has not worked since last year.
The other is in need of regular maintenance and lacks a rearview mirror.
On Monday, Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran revealed that he had met with Dr. Ala Arbid, who heads the Cuban medical team at the Diagnostic Centre.
This meeting was held, to sort out shortcomings at the institution.
Dr. Ramsaran said that new measures would be put in place to ensure that it is run more efficiently.
He disclosed that the pharmacy will now be open on weekends and holidays, and that several nurses will be seconded to the hospital.
According to Dr. Ramsaran, the hospital is at present suffering from a shortage of nursing and other staff.
In addition, he had directed that security guards cease the practice of deciding which patients should be sent first for medical treatment.
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