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Family of latest COVID-19 victim demands answer
Relatives of Guyana’s latest COVID-19 fatality, Roger Martindale, 56, of 9th Street Bartica, are now demanding answers from the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) regarding the circumstances.
Died: Roger Martindale
They believe that he contracted the Novel Coronavirus while being a patient at the Bartica Hospital, Region Seven.
Speaking with Kaieteur News, the late man’s nephew, Dwayne Fordyce, expressed his disappointment in Region Seven’s Health Department. He said that they failed to notify the family of Martindale’s passing.
Fordyce explained that on Sunday, Martindale complained of difficulty breathing and was rushed to the Bartica Regional Hospital where he was examined by a resident doctor.
An x-ray was conducted and it was revealed that the Martindale’s lungs were in a deplorable state due an underlying medical condition.
In addition, relatives were informed that due to the severity of damages to the man’s lungs, he was not expected to make a recovery.
Martindale was then admitted to the hospital where he was allegedly transferred to the wing in which COVID-19 patients were being treated.
Consequently, Martindale died on Monday night.
However, public health officials only announced on Friday that the man died due complications of the virus.
Fordyce said that it wasn’t until Tuesday morning that the family learnt of the Martindale’s passing. This was after the man’s brother stopped by the hospital to deliver his breakfast. Fordyce also revealed it was a security guard who made the revelation to the dead man’s brother.
“My uncle stopped to drop off breakfast for his brother but he was not allowed to enter the compound so he gave the food to the security guard to drop off. But the security guard returned and told my uncle that there was nobody in the ward and that his brother had died the night before.”
Additionally, a COVID-19 test was conducted on Martindale before his body was released to his family for burial. It was on the day of his funeral that relatives of the deceased were informed of the man status by a senior member of the Regional Taskforce.
“We were having a family gathering after the funeral when a member of the taskforce passed by and told us to take precautions since a test was conducted on my uncle and showed he was positive for the virus.”
Bewildered as to how it was possible, Martindale’s relatives are now demanding answers from the local health department adding that they are prepared to go the extra mile in ensuring their questions are answered.
Kaieteur News reached out to the hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr. Jillian Jardine-Apple for clarification of the matter.
However, the doctor indicated that she was not at liberty to relay information pertaining to the matter since it would be a breach of the patient’s confidentiality.
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