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NA Hospital staff allegedly refused to send ambulance for injured pensioner
Kaieteur News – A staff at the New Amsterdam Hospital on Wednesday allegedly refused to send an ambulance for an injured pensioner who was located some 15 minutes away from the medical facility.
The pensioner’s neighbour, Carol Carter was the one who called the hospital requesting an ambulance for the injured man identified as Harry Bridgelall, 69, of Rose Hall Canje, Berbice, Region Six. Carter claimed that the staff told her that the case was not an emergency and advised that he be transported to the hospital in a taxi. According to Carter, Bridgelall lives alone with his daughter who suffers from a mental health condition. His relatives overseas would however, pay her to prepare meals for him and visit him regularly.
The injured Harry Bridgelall
On Monday while she was in Georgetown, she received a call that something had happened to Bridgelall and that she should check up on him. Upon arrival she found him lying on floor of his home but did not notice any injuries on his body at the time except that he was unable to move. The woman claimed that she assisted him to his bed and attended to him but the following day she noticed that his wrist appeared swollen. It is then she began suspecting that had fallen and hit himself. On Wednesday morning his condition got worse. Carter said the swelling of his wrist increased and turned “blue”. She also related Bridgelall stopped moving and was unable to lift himself off the bed. She checked and it was then she realised that Bridgelall had other injuries. They were large bruises to his hip and they appeared swollen too. Bridgelall even began groaning in pain. Carter said she became fearful after seeing his condition and dialed 911. “When me call 911, them give a number for the hospital fuh get an ambulance”, Carter said.
Carter alleged that she called the number and a staff began taking the necessary information but after receiving the details the individual refused to send the ambulance. “Dem tell me that me case as not an emergency and tell me fuh tek a taxi and bring he,” alleged Carter. The woman explained that she was reluctant to transport Bridgelall in a taxi because she wanted to avoid lifting him up herself and causing him more harm. Carter said she sought help from a medical dispensary at the Rosehall Estate to have them transport him in their vehicle but unfortunately it was at the workshop. Her last resort was for the police to get the emergency medical technicians ( EMTs) and an ambulance to assist in transporting the injured man to the hospital but that also was to no avail. Carter eventually took the risk of transporting Bridgelall herself to the hospital in a taxi. Luckily Bridgelall’s injuries were not life-threatening as it had appeared. He was treated for a fractured wrist and bruises to his body. Bridgelall has since been discharged and expected to return for a further check-up. The Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Bob Ramnauth was unaware of what had transpired, but when he learnt of the woman’s allegation he acknowledged that the action of the staff was wrong and condemned it.
Dr. Ramnauth has since reached out to Carter and apologised to her on behalf of the hospital. The doctor has even taken the initiative to send an ambulance to pick-up Bridgelall today for a further medical assessment of his condition. Ramnauth told Kaieteur News that the hospital has three ambulances. One of them is currently be serviced but two are always on standby and if there are multiple emergencies they would be backed by ambulances from the other hospitals in the district. The doctor even explained the criteria for emergency cases. He said that there are immediate emergency cases such as road accidents and also cases where persons are injured or fall critically ill in their homes.
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