With a rise in the number of healthcare workers becoming infected with the novel coronavirus, especially at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), assurances have been given that the situation is not so dire that it warrants a shutdown of any services or departments.
However, there will be stricter screening processes and visitation protocols, which the public is urged to follow.
President Dr Irfaan Ali, in an emergency press conference today to update the public on the Covid-19 situation in the country, disclosed that some 200 healthcare workers countrywide are currently infected with the virus.
Majority of the infections were detected at the GPHC which he described as a heavily-trafficked institution.
“You have to understand that Georgetown Hospital is more at risk because they have more traffic, more patient load…,” the Head of State explained.
“The GPHC, for example, that is where we have most of the impact. I would say more than 70% of the doctors, for example, who are affected and about 50% of the nurses who are affected, are from Georgetown [Hospital],” he added.
Overall, he said of the 200 infected healthcare workers, about 50 are doctors, 75 nurses and 41 technicians.
President Ali pointed out that in other countries, when their healthcare workers have become infected, authorities often look to shutdown services. However, he noted that this will not be the case in Guyana at this point in time.
“It has not affected the service delivery…we’re not heading into that direction…we believe that the system can manage and operate even with the challenges we have now,” President Ali said as he thanked the healthcare workers who are going the extra mile to ensure service delivery is not compromised.
This point was emphasised by Dr Fawcett Jeffrey who is the Director of Medical and Professional Services (MPS) at the GPHC. He noted that it is mainly two departments within the institution that is greatly affected by the Covid surge, being the obstetrician-gynecologist and paediatric departments.
However, he explained that “this did not create a loss of staff that necessitated the shutdown of the departments, we are still providing the services.”
For instance, he explained that in the OB-GYN department only seven of the 32 doctors there are away due to them being infected with the virus. Admitting that the loss of seven doctors for this period will put a strain on the existing doctors, Dr Jeffrey said there is no need to shut down the department.
Regarding the paedeiatric department, he revealed that within the next five to seven days, the healthcare workers should return to work.
Speaking to measures which are being put in place to further protect GPHC staff and patients from contracting the disease, Dr Jeffrey explained that the institution has reinforced the existing guidelines including the proper wearing of masks.
He indicated too that there will be a stricter screening process at the gate as well as a limited visitation protocol for family of patients.
In this regard, he pleaded with the public to cooperate with the GPHC.
“We have fights at the gate…because people think they are being restricted from seeing their family members…People do not understand those things and we end up with issues at the gate…because when somebody gets heated…they take off their masks so their voices could be heard more and the virus also spreads more,” he lamented.
