Fight erupts at Diamond Diagnostic Centre over new COVID-19 victims
It was high drama at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre on Saturday evening as a doctor and a COVID-19 patient squared off after he refused to share the same room with a new patient who was tested positive for the virus.
Guyana Times understands that the Diamond facility houses over 85 per cent of the persons tested positive for the virus to date.
As such, a few COVID-19 patients who are housed in the facility after testing positive would have spoken to this publication but have expressed concerns that they might be victimised.
However, one patient explained that the fight on Saturday evening stemmed from another patient refusing to be intermixed with newcomers on the grounds that he could be re-infected all over again.
“Some people arrived last night [Saturday evening]. The doctors put the newcomers with people who are waiting for their results and it was then [the] man got upset and closed his door and the doctors started to kick down the door,” one patient recalled.
The breakfast which was spoiled that was provided to the patients
Further, another patient related that “there was a boy recording everything, and when the doctor saw him recording, he grabbed him by the neck and a fight broke out.”
This publication was informed that the facility does not only house Guyanese that are infected with the virus but also several Venezuelans and Cubans who are not fluent in English and as such, they are unable to speak out about the conditions and services provided at the institution.
“Doctor (name withheld) is very problematic, he does not know how to speak or treat a patient. He also treats Cubans badly; he is a bad doctor and none of them deserve to be here. I feel very insecure in here with them on duty,” another infected patient explained.
Another patient alleged that “one Venezuelan woman told one of the nurses in English, that she had a headache. The nurse told her that it is not her problem if her head hurts.”
In some cases, the patients are given breakfast until 12:00h on any given day. On Sunday, they were given spoilt food, one patient related.
Meanwhile, the Public Health Ministry has dubbed its COVID-19 quarantine facilities as ‘comfortable’ with all the necessary amenities, but this has once again been rebutted by patients who have been staying at these centres over the past weeks.
