Guyana is currently battling to deal with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, with rising fatalities and more confirmed positive cases almost daily. One suspects that, due to the ratio of positive cases when compared to the level of testing, there could very well be quite a number of persons who are infected and are still interacting and moving around as per normal, due to the fact that they are unaware that they may be carrying the virus.
Inspite of the commendable work being done by health care workers on the frontline, saving lives and helping to contain the virus, it is quite evident that there are still major lapses in the system, which must be addressed urgently if Guyana is to be effective in the manner in which it responds to the outbreak. The health authorities must act quickly and make the necessary modifications to the response, as time is of the essence. Improving every aspect of our response to COVID-19 could result in fewer infections and fewer deaths.
Over the past few days, the case of Jermaine Ifill, the 38-year-old who died recently from the coronavirus, sparked much discussions on social media about Guyana’s level of preparedness to adequately respond to the pandemic. Many persons, more notably the relatives and friends of the victim, took to social media to vent their frustration regarding the manner in which the Ifill case was handled.
To begin with, it was reported in sections of the media that prior to his death, Ifill, who was experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, had made about three calls to the Coronavirus Hotline, but did not receive the kind of help he had sought. His relatives claim that persons who were manning the hotlines promised to act on his case, but from all indications, they never did. Ifill’s sister recalled that he (Ifill) even administered saline on himself while at home in the hope that the medical personnel would have responded to his pleas for help.
Instead, from reports gathered, they (first responders) gave a lacklustre approach to an issue which required immediate and maximum attention with the involvement of the most competent medical personnel available. Even after three calls, they reportedly never showed, and Ifill was left to be cared for by his six-month-pregnant wife, putting her and other family members at severe risk.
After the situation got worse, it was reported that this forced Ifill to check himself in to GPHC on March 25, where he was admitted and being treated for pneumonia in the Male ward. Since he had already suspected he was infected with COVID-19, it is reasonable that he would have so informed the doctor, so the first question is: why was he sent to an open ward? According to Ifill’s sister, she managed to convince the doctors for her brother to take a COVID-19 test, which was reportedly only done three days after he was admitted to the hospital; this is even after he had showed symptoms of having the virus.
Even after he was tested positive on March 28, and reportedly began experiencing increasing respiratory distress even while receiving oxygen via (an incorrectly-sized) face mask, he was not subsequently intubated and placed on a ventilator. He succumbed on March 31 in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
While we are cognizant of the challenges facing the health sector at the moment due to the sudden emergence of this pandemic, it is clear that in Ifill’s case in particular, the basic element in the Ministry’s response – the hotlines – and GPHC did not deliver as expected.
Assuming that the media reports are accurate, there are several questions which remain unanswered. The Ministry must be aware of the views being expressed on social media etc. To date, it has not provided any clarity on the issues raised. For example, who are involved in answering or managing the hotlines? Are these personnel competent and qualified enough to make the necessary judgment calls? Do they have a medical background to do so, or are they simply ‘telephone operators’ tasked with making medical decisions on the spot? Do these hotline ‘operators’ have a strict protocol to follow? And if so, were those protocols followed in Ifill’s case?
Another question which must be answered is: why wasn’t Ifill placed on a ventilator even after he had tested positive for the virus and showed deterioration? Are the doctors in the GPHC COVID- 19 unit following the WHO guidelines on admitting patients?
If it hasn’t already done so, the Ministry must immediately lunch a probe to find out exactly what occurred in Ifill’s case. If needed, it must make changes immediately to ensure that, going forward, every level of its response to COVID-19 pandemic, including operating the hotlines, is as efficient and professional as far as is possible. Lives are at stake.
