Health care must address complaints and deficiencies

Apr 30, 2021 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,

Reference is made to that news report on the amputee and other problems relating to deficiencies in the health care system and the inadequate response from authorities. Every Guyanese who can afford it, hops on a plane and go abroad for their health needs. They complain of the health system and the attitude of medical personnel. Our doctors, nurses and medical personnel are outstanding staff in the White man countries, highly desirous. But the performance of some of them is not the same within Guyana. Our health care needs vast improvement including retraining of staff. It is desperately in need of reform.
Guyana has not been known to have a robust medical care system to address complaints or problems. Every Health Minister since independence has been overwhelmed by problems besetting the system that has a culture immune to reform and change. Thus, in spite of an active Minister and two very able former Health Ministers as Assistants and advisors, problems continue to plague the state of health care in the country.
In recent years, media reports suggested a very high infant and maternal mortality. Also, there has been a COVID spike, tsunami like, given the small size of our population and open space, and various other problems that beset public health care. The Minister or the government can’t be blamed for the spike in COVID; there is irresponsible behaviour of some members of the public. Some other problems relate to medical incompetence and malpractice at clinics or hospitals. Unfortunately, there is inept handling of medical malpractice by governments and courts. The judicial system is very slow to take up cases. Government must be more active against malpractice. Since independence, the nation has been plagued with high reports of medical negligence and malpractices as was the case with the woman who was misdiagnosed with COVID resulting in her being confined in the COVID hospital where she had an accident. Why was she sent to the hospital if her life was not under threat? Why was no COVID test done on admission in hospital? She did not have COVID and did not belong in the hospital. Where was the medical aide who was assigned in the ward to monitor patients during the accident? None has been held accountable for the misdiagnosis, lack of tests and for not monitoring the patient.
There are countless other misdiagnosed cases like the woman’s and no accountability. And after the tragedies come the routine statements, apologies, promises of an investigation or an inquiry but no compensation (as is the case of amputee Padmini McRae) and no acceptance of blame. Then the matters die. It is business as usual. Guyanese Americans would make a stink if this happens to them in the White man country, and would collect millions in US dollars in compensation.
In addition to medical negligence, there are issues pertaining to purchasing of medication. We were faced shortages of medicines at various times in our history especially during the dictatorship. That is not the case now; we are purchasing too many drugs. I read of the tens of millions of American dollars of medicines that were bought by successive governments that are being destroyed because they have expired and there is no inquiry or accountability.
No one is held accountable for the various ills of government administered health care and pharmacies even when evidence indicts health personnel. The accused or guilty simply carry on their job as usual. It is excused with the all too often remark that we lack medical personnel or their skill or expertise. Unless there retraining programs and or stringent punishments in place against those who engage in malpractice and who provide poor medical service (attention) and visible action against them, nothing will change. Ignoring their mal-behavior or punishing them with a mere slap in the wrist will not work. Government should not allow itself to be blackmailed by the paucity or shortage of skilled medical staff. We must not retain staff who are consistently putting life in danger. Staff must be retrained to deliver better care. Bring experts (from diaspora) to provide them guidance! Guyanese are model medics in the ABC countries. They are desired and are being recruited for overseas hospitals. If they can excel abroad, why not in Guyana? Something is amiss about the performance of a few – excise or retrain them!
If we don’t have enough or competent medical practitioners (doctors, nurses, aides, Physician Assistants, etc., or those competent in specialised fields), then let us import them. Clearly, the medical personnel have been failing patients. There have been too many misdiagnoses. Experienced doctors and nurses are needed to supervise or overlook staff. Recruit them! Government must make available resources to recruit more and better personnel.
More needs to be done to address the problems at government hospitals and health centres as well as to tackle medical malpractices. Defects in the health care system need immediate fixing. The Minister and his assistants should put in place a safety system to ensure foolproof diagnoses and safety norms. These must be at par or greater than the quality of care being provided to patients. Untoward incidents should be averted at all costs. It is advisable that the Minister and his Assistants put in place a system to hear and list peoples’ complaints and quickly address them to avoid a repeat. This would help to reduce the number of problems facing public health care and give confidence by would be patients to trust it.

Yours truly,
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

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