– over poor working conditions, lack of security
Doctors attached to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) on Tuesday morning refused to commence duties at the facility, taking strike action as a result of failure on the part of the Public Health Ministry to address their numerous concerns.
The hospital was in a state of panic when all doctors of the medical facility downed their equipment and refused to work.
Guyana Times understands that the doctors, via a letter sent to their medical superintendent which was copied and sent to all levels, outlined a number of concerns that are currently affecting them and vowed to strike if no response was given.
The letter which was seen by this publication stated, “…this letter serves to inform you that the staff of the Accident and Emergency Unit of the West Demerara Regional Hospital are disappointed, frustrated, disgusted and fed-up of the way in which our daily verbal grievances are being handled. To date we have not seen any measures implemented within our department to alleviate our struggles or worries”.
The letter continues, “the staffers of the Emergency Unit no longer feel safe in their working environment. They no longer feel motivated to provide the best patient care since supportive structure and drugs are on regular shortage or absent. They no longer feel the need to go above and beyond because they feel that the administrative body does not care and have swept all of their relevant and 
legitimate concerns aside”.
According to a source at the hospital, the doctors were calling for better security at the facility following a number of incidents where doctors were either physically attacked or verbally abused by patients and others.
In fact, a recent incident saw two doctors being attacked by a patient and his relatives and were even spat upon.
The doctors have since been calling for the Public Health Ministry to tighten security services at the facility.
In addition, the doctors reportedly are also calling for better sanitation at the hospital, tools to work with and for the current drug shortage issue to be rectified.
However, many letters written to the Public Health Ministry reportedly got no reply, thus the strike action taken by the medical staff.
When this publication visited the hospital on Tuesday, a large number of patients were seen in the waiting area.
Some of them indicated to this newspaper that they had been waiting for hours but were told that none of the doctors would be working.
Meanwhile, the Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Dennis Jaikarran along with a representative from the Public Health Ministry visited the hospital and held a meeting with the doctors.
However, when contacted for an outcome of that engagement, the REO asked that all questions be directed to the Region’s Health Officer, Dr Naail Uthman.
But when contacted, the RHO referred questions back to the REO and the Health Ministry stating they are his superiors.
When questioned first, Uthman said “what incident? Oh that incident, well you have to either speak with the REO or the Public Health Ministry”.
He further added: “They are my superiors and I am just doing what I was told to do”.
Nevertheless, the source informed this publication that in the meeting, none of the concerns raised by the doctors were addressed; instead, they were told that their salaries would be cut for the day and the same would persist if they do not report for duty.
Guyana Times also made attempts to speak with Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence, but these proved futile.
