Father seeks settlement over needle left in son’s buttocks

Dec 23, 2017 News

Baby: Ethan Garnett

A father is hoping to reach a settlement with health officials after a needle was left in his son’s buttocks during a visit to the Fort Wellington Hospital.

In August 2015, Ethan Garnett was 11 months of age when his relatives took him to the hospital after he developed a fever.

Ethan’s father, Carlos Garnett of Lot 7 Number 23 Village, West Coast Berbice, explained that after the child was seen by a doctor at the health institution, a nurse was instructed to administer an injection to the child.

After the incident, Garnett said he met with several hospital officials and health practitioners, including former Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton. Still seeking justice, Garnett said he was forced to move to the High Court through Attorney-at-Law, Priya Manickchand.

A writ filed in the High Court against Government sought damages in excess of $5 million dollars for negligence; $5 million for the personal injuries, pain and suffering, anguish, loss and damage; special damages in the amount of $138,000; interest and cost.

Since the writ was filed, there have been ongoing talks through the Attorney General’s chambers with the hope of arriving at a settlement. However, after nearly a year, Garnett said he is worried that the matter will go to trial and delay plans to have his son seek medical attention overseas to get the needle removed.

Local doctors have made a medical determination that the needle can remain in the boy’s buttocks, since removing it would cause more harm.

On the night of the incident, the nurse carrying out the injection called out for the doctor who then referred the infant to the New Amsterdam Hospital to have an X-ray done.

The child was admitted at that hospital for a night after the X-ray revealed that the needle was inside his buttocks. He was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where another X-ray was done to confirm the presence of the needle.

Kaieteur News was told that at the private hospital, Garnett was informed that if the needle is removed, it could result in further injury.

“It has been a total runaround. I am frustrated by the entire process, because my son will grow older; start running around with a needle that might come back to affect him later on in life. The advice I get locally is just one opinion. The reason why I am hoping for a settlement is to have the money to pay to take him overseas to get another opinion. We need the needle removed,” Garnett told Kaieteur News.

Dr. Norton during an interview with Kaieteur News while serving as Public Health Minister stressed that while the incident should not have happened, it was not “rocket science” for surgeons to remove a needle that was left in the infant.

He said that it was, however, a medical decision to leave the needle where it is.

Dr. Norton had noted that if the needle was not affecting the child, then doctors will not remove it, since it is not life-threatening. He had offered apologies to the infant and his parents.