Diamond hospital dogged by drug shortage, other issues

– Opposition MPs to demand answers from Health Minister in Parliament

A visit by members of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services to the East Demerara Regional Hospital, commonly known as the Diamond hospital, on Thursday, April 6, has led to the discovery of shortages of drugs and medical supplies, along with a host of other serious issues.

The team comprised Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) Dr Vindhya Persaud, Dr Vishawa Mahadeo, Indranie Chandarpaul and Alister Charlie. Government MPs were not present.

The visit lasted for several hours as the MPs had detailed discussions with management and hospital staff about the challenges and successes at that facility.

Cuban national and Medical Superintendent, Dr Maitee Camacho, told the media that the facility was currently under construction, as they were trying to create more space.

While explaining that there was adequate staff to carry out the daily required functions, Dr Camacho noted that space was becoming more limited, especially with the increased number of patients who visit the hospital on a daily basis.

She said although the population in Diamond is approximately 80,000, patients from many other distant communities were treated at the facility for various conditions and medical issues.

In instances where their cases are extremely serious, patients are referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital. But this has been reduced over the past year, owing to several institutional changes.

“We do not do deliveries here. All the complicated deliveries need to go to GPHC [Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation] or the orthopaedic and neurosurgeon cases go there too. In the future, I don’t want to refer patients to the hospital, but at the moment we cannot handle all cases,” she explained.

Dr Camacho admitted that there was also a drug shortage at the hospital and gave reasons for this.

“We have some issues with MMU [the Materials Management Unit]; they don’t have all the drugs. It is true. For in-patient and some drugs for emergency we don’t have….At this moment, we don’t have insulin,” she declared.

Another issue raised by the Medical Superintendent was the fact that the facility lacked basic equipment, particularly in the x-ray department and the medical laboratory.

Staffers also complained that all laboratory tests were currently being referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital and, in most instances, it took two to three days before the results were returned.

Dr Persaud, who heads the Sectoral Committee, said based on Thursday’s visit, she has recognised that while most doctors were eager to work, they were frustrated by the many shortages.

“Things like sterile gloves, medication, injectables. There are many shortages here. So many that they are frustrated because they see their patients suffering. One doctor lamented that he was not able to control his hypertensive and diabetic patients because he can’t treat them.”

The Opposition MP told the media that the public was, therefore, left to suffer, primarily because not everyone could afford to purchase their own drugs.

“What you have is complications, because if you have chronic hypertensive and diabetic patients, you are looking at things like renal failure, cardiac disease, and your eyes. All these things are affected. So, if people are prolonged uncontrolled, and you know Guyana is made up primarily of hypertensive and diabetics, then you are looking at a serious problem.”

Meanwhile, Dr Persaud highlighted the fact that the hospital was currently without an administrator and that responsibility has now been shifted to a doctor which, in her view, was unacceptable.

“As you see, there is construction, and many decisions to be made and things to be addressed. If you don’t have an administrator, how are you going to properly function? And you are taking hours from that doctor delivering health care,” she lamented.

The Parliamentary Sectoral Committee has already visited the New Amsterdam Hospital, where drug shortages were discovered also. The Committee plans to visit Linden, Suddie and Georgetown Hospitals soon.

At the conclusion of these visits, the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee will compile a comprehensive report and have it submitted to Parliament with recommendations and for further discussion.

It plans to summon Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence to answer for the poor conditions and other issues facing these and other health institutions across the country.