Shortage of Drugs and medical equipment severely affect the Linden Hospital Complex

Oct 01, 2017 News

It has become a norm at the pharmacy of the Linden Hospital Complex to be told drugs prescribed by the doctors are not available but when you are told that you have to pay for an X-Ray because the machine is privately owned

Linden Hospital Complex

then that is another story.
According to a staff member who prefers to remain anonymous the hospital has nothing, the doctors, nurses and other staff in the various departments are working miracles.
The staffer said that the X-Ray machine is not functioning and has been so for some time. Another staff who has a portable machine reportedly loans it to the hospital.
“Patients have to pay $2,000 for an X-ray because the machine not working; if you do not have money then you can’t do the X-ray. The man tells you point blank that the machine is he own and if you ent got money then you can’t do the X-ray.”
It was also reported that just last week two elderly men visited the hospital and they were required to do an X-ray. Both were turned away because they had no money.
It is alleged that when the men were sent to have the X-rays done they were told by the staffer that the cost is $2,000 each.
“Even though we beg him to do it because is big men and they don’t have money the man said, ‘This is me machine and nothing ent free.’ The men had to go away.”
The Emergency room is as empty as a flask; no Blood Pressure machine, no drugs for emergency patients.
“The emergency room has no blood pressure machine, you have to go upstairs to borrow and if they are using it then you have to wait and the waiting period is dangerous for the patient.
The hospital has no (tablet for Hypertensive patients) not even ‘panadols’. So you could imagine what is going on here.”
It was also reported that requisition for Drugs is not been made in a timely manner and the required amount is not requisitioned for; also when drugs arrive they are being sold by staff members to pharmacies in Central Mackenzie.
One resident of Linden, Sandra Ross, noted that drugs are not available at neither of the Hospitals Pharmacies but are available at the privately owned Pharmacies.
“Everytime you go to the hospital, if the doctor prescribes four medications, you have to buy three, hospital don’t have nothing. Only Panadol they used to have. Now they don’t even have that. Is this a State of the Art Hospital or Straight to the Heart? This hospital is not even a First Aid Kit.”
Some doctors also complain of victimization by their superiors who threaten them with transfer if they speak out. It is also reported that the Hospital has three surgeons and two are presently on vacation, the other surgeon has to work around the clock and as reported by one staffer he is tired. “That is detrimental, because you can see tiredness in the man, he could be doing a surgery and because of tiredness do something wrong and he will be blamed; nobody will say he is overworked.”
The Doctors, Nurses and other staff of the Linden Hospital Complex are pleading with the Minister of Public Health to look into the situation with some urgency as they cannot work under such conditions much longer.