Latest update March 29th, 2025 5:38 AM
Death of four-year-old at GPHC…Free health care could be costly – says grieving mother
– as she calls for disciplinary action to be meted out now
The cost of free health service could at times prove to be very costly. At least this is the conviction of Nathalie Caseley, who was forced to bury her son, Jaden Mars, days after he was admitted at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation to have his tongue sutured for a minor injury. Mars was admitted to the hospital on December 4 with a damaged tongue but eventually lapsed into a coma before passing away six days later, leaving many unanswered questions relating to his untimely demise.
Dead: Jaden Mars.
According to the woman, who has been calling for justice to prevail ever since the death of her son, attempts are being made to dissuade her from her goal. She intimated to this publication that she has been receiving information, even from a senior health functionary, that persons who access the services at the public health facility are doing so at their own risk.
“If this is the case, they need to put a sign at the entrance ‘Enter at your own risk’…but I am still convinced that the money of taxpayers like me still helps to run that institution and they need to treat us with that respect,” Caseley vocalised.
The still grieving woman related that months after her son’s death, she still awaits word from the Ministry of Health in relation to the disciplinary actions that were recommended for the Health Care workers who would have attended to her son upon his admittance to the public health facility.
Caseley told this publication that it was more than a month ago she was invited to a meeting with the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud, where she was formally told that the matter was at its final phase, gaining the attention of the Nursing and Medical Councils. According to her, at that meeting, the CMO said that he had recommended to the Councils that no further investigation was warranted into the matter since a Ministry Committee had completed a thorough process. Based on its investigation the Committee had recommended that four health care workers – three Doctors and a Nurse – be disciplined.
The grieving Nathalie Caseley displays photos showing her son as his condition worsened while he was in the hospital.
Dr Persaud had previously told this publication that the disciplinary action would be determined by the respective Councils. As CMO, Dr Persaud is a designated de facto member of both Councils. Although he informed this publication yesterday that the Nurse who was investigated by the Committee has since been sent off the job, the CMO did not comment on the status of the Doctors.
“He made it appear as though these people were going to be disciplined soon…” said Caseley as she recounted details of the meeting with the CMO which, she said, was attended by another official.
According to her, at that forum, the CMO recognised that she wasn’t merely on a ‘revenge mission’ but rather was genuinely aiming to help bring about a change in the institution even as she sought to find closure into the death of her son. Caseley said that she had even committed to future collaborations with the Ministry whereby she could speak to other persons of her experience, adding that “if I can make an impact in some way, I would be happy.”
The meeting, according to her, ended on an encouraging note that was shattered weeks later when all of her attempts to get a feedback into the matter went unanswered. “That was the last time I heard from the CMO…every time I try to reach this man he is not there…but I think I deserve some sort of answer. I have been patient and fair with these people and I need answers now.”
“If you are going to discipline these people, don’t let it just be word of mouth; show that you actually stand for something. How can change come about if they are not making the effort to discipline these culpable people so that others could take their jobs seriously in future?” questioned a distraught Caseley.
Failure to take action, the woman noted, is tantamount to “allowing these people to keep jeopardising other people’s lives.” According to her, it is imperative that efforts be made to “let Nathalie Caseley, let Guyana at large know that action has been taken…because the public will continue to lose faith in the public health system.”
Caseley has not ruled out taking further action, even picketing the health facility, if sincere efforts are not made to help her get closure into her son’s death.
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