COVID-19 patients treated as expendable; unfair treatment continues at quarantine facility

A few weeks ago, Guyana Times had spoken to several COVID-19 patients who are currently housed at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, East Bank Demerara (EBD), and reported of the unfair treatment that was meted out to them.

However, after an article was published, there was a change of heart and the circumstances subsequently got better but it was too good to be true as the fairy tale run of “good treatment” ended and the patients are again left to suffer.

It was revealed by sources within the facility that they are faced with issues such as undercooked food, hair being found in the food, a lack of sugar and milk as they are forced to practically drink tea bag in hot water among a plethora of other issues.

The patients within the facility have even protested this unfair treatment as they have

disposed of their meals.
At the beginning of their quarantine, the patients were asked their likes and dislikes and their food preferences.
But this was a waste of time as they are now fed whatever they have in stock and when the patients voice their

concerns, they are told: “This is all we have in stock.”
The meals are never on time as they would have to wait ridiculous hours just to have lunch.
“There are days we don’t even have water; we also have to fetch water in a bucket to flush the toilet. The food is not good, it has no taste, almost every day its fried rice or cook up rice, we have to throw away the chicken because it is never cooked correctly. They are taking us out of the comfort of our homes and giving us next to nothing, the bathroom at times is flooded and dirty. We are being violated of our rights and this is highly unfair,” one source disclosed.
Besides the food, the patients are also forced to deal with the sarcastic remarks and slow-paced movement of the staff.
In one instance, the COVID-19 tests that are being conducted on the patients took longer than usual and when asked they are told: “you are already in here, there is no rush to go anywhere”.
To stretch it a bit further, they even claim that there are no testing kits available. “If indeed our people are valuable to this nation, why are they being treated as if they are expendable?” a source asked.
This unfair treatment has gone on for too long and as such, the source is calling for the relevant authorities to look into the matter.
“Better must come and the patients have made their voice heard, it now remains in the hands of the correct authorities to ensure this issue is fixed permanently,” the source noted.