…autopsy ordered
An investigation has been launched into the death of a woman at the New Amsterdam Hospital after she was allegedly given nine injections by a doctor at the health facility.
Director of Health Services in Berbice, Jevaughn Stephen told reporters on Friday that following the protest in front of the medical facility, an investigation has been launched. He added that the issues which the residents were protesting over are being addressed as the region seeks to improve its services.
Sooroojdia Dookeram, 69, was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital on Tuesday last complaining of stomach pains.
She was reportedly given five injections but began vomiting. According to her daughter, as a result, she was given two more injections to which she again displayed a negative reaction and was thereupon administered a further two injections. She died shortly after the last two injects were administered.
The pathologist attached to the medical facility is on leave in her home island of Cuba but
Stephen assured that an autopsy will be performed on Dookeram’s body.
Dookeram’s death is one of the several issues which forced residents to the picket line on Tuesday last as they expressed their disapproval over the state of affairs at the medical faculty.
Seepaul Ramlochan, whose brother’s body was left to decompose at the hospital’s mortuary, was also on the protest line.
Stephen added that the issue of lengthy delays by persons who showed up at the medical facility seeking attention is because of a new system which should have been implemented two years ago.
The system, Stephen explained, requires doctors to obtain additional information from the patient. The four-page form was shown to this publication and on the front page, there were 23 questions. According to the Health Services Director, additional staff have been deployed to the department to assist with filling out the forms.
The Health Services Director further pointed out that the Accident and Emergency Departments will no longer be operating in the same place as from next week. This was a contentious point of the protesters, who had explained that it was illogical to have both outpatient and A&E Departments operate as one.
On Tuesday last, residents of New Amsterdam and surrounding areas called on Government to address the rapidly deteriorating condition at the NA Hospital.
Additionally, the residents alleged that several critical pieces of equipment are out of order in addition to a shortage of basic medicine leaving them to come to the conclusion that the state of the institution’s affairs is not being properly managed.
The residents turned out in their numbers and staged a picketing exercise in front of the hospital’s compound while chanting “The CEO must go” for several hours as they marched to have their concerns addressed.
