This medical doctor should be fired

Jan 18, 2012 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

I am the last person that would ask for a human being to be dismissed from their employment. It is just not in my nature. But when a medical doctor could refuse to tend to a sick person I will call for that person’s dismissal. I am doing so now in relation to a doctor.
I know that by penning this column I will invoke the disappointment of the hospital CEO, Michael Khan, because he is a friend. I have known Mike for quite a long time now. On many occasions I have complained to Mike about appalling areas of incompetence and neglect at the Georgetown Hospital. His response would be to restrain me and would ask me to leave it to him. I have done that several times. I could understand Mike’s feeling. No one wants to see their company featured in a negative way in the press.
The owner of Bakewell came up to me this week and said that he regretted that I wrote about his firm in one of my columns two weeks ago. I insisted that I meant no harm to the company and nothing negative was penned about the Roti Hut. All I did was to bring to the attention of readers that there was a strange salesgirl at the Roti Hut. I am sure the column did not hurt the Bakewell image, because there was nothing written about the operations of Bakewell in that article.
I have explained to Mike that if the Georgetown Public Hospital is not exposed, the rut will continue and people will continue to suffer. My compositions on the weaknesses in the delivery of service to the public by the Georgetown Public Hospital is not intended to hurt the image and credibility of Michael Khan but at the end of the day, citizens have to know that the Georgetown Hospital leaves so much to be desired.
This column here is in response to the front page story in yesterday’s KN where there are allegations of neglect by the Georgetown Public Hospital that may have caused the death of a mother. Strong allegations are contained in that news item. I would urge Mike, the Health Minister and other relevant authorities to investigate. I have decided to pen this essay after a conversation with KN’s editor, Adam Harris, yesterday morning. I told him about an incident that occurred three months ago but I didn’t write about it because the patient didn’t want me to. Adam has now suggested that I cover the subject and leave out the name.
One Saturday afternoon, three months ago, I accompanied a heart patient of the Georgetown Public Hospital to the institution to have a prescription refilled after he found out that it had run out. This person is well known in Guyana. Then President Bharrat Jagdeo, current President Donald Ramotar, then Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy and very important persons in Guyana know him, and would have gladly intervened on his behalf had they known how he was treated by a particular doctor.
We went to the medical wing where his physician, Dr. Doobay works. Everybody –nurses and doctors – had left. We went to see the head of the pharmacy. She was considerate. She told us once we have his medical chart and his clinic cards then a doctor can fill the prescription, but she cannot give him the tablets without a prescription. Our luck was in. The very doctor who originally looked at him when he collapsed was working at A&E.
I had taken him to that very doctor and had given her a letter from heart specialist Dr. Soni. She was involved in his heart treatment when he was admitted.
We were in for a shock. She said that he had to go to the medical wing to get the refill. We told her no one was there and the pharmacy advised us to go to another doctor. She refused to write a prescription. I said to her that this man’s life was at risk. He needed his tablets over the weekend. We both implored that it was a heart condition. Her position was that she was working at A&E and she couldn’t help.
Next step was Mike’s office. He wasn’t there. The matron (whose office was next to Mike) got a doctor to do a prescription. He got his tablets. I told the matron what happened at A&E and if there could be an investigation. She promised one. I didn’t hear back from her. I went to see Dr. Sheik Amir, in charge of medical and professional services. His secretary fixed an appointment which he didn’t keep. I haven’t got to see him since.

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