Patient dies at Diamond hospital over alleged vaccine mix-up

…facility to be restructured, investigated for negligence – Health Minister

The Diamond Diagnostic Centre’s Administration is currently under investigation and will be restructured in light of a series of damning incidents that have occurred there.

The hospital is once again in the limelight after unconfirmed reports surfaced that a man succumbed after receiving the incorrect vaccination.

Speaking to Guyana Times Minister of Public Health Dr George Norton confirmed that he received reports that someone had passed away at the health facility, however he is not in a position to say whether or not the cause of death was the administration of the incorrect vaccine.

“Well I received a report that someone died but I’m in no position to say whether it was as a result of a wrong injection…so I will be very cautious in repeating that statement but I did receive a report,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Dr Norton revealed that an investigation has been launched into the administration of the Hospital, as recently there have been a number of negative reports emanating from the hospital.

He also revealed that the administration will be restructured, as recently the frequency of negligent actions have increased: “First of all we needed to change the Administration because we would have recognised that it all points to the direction of the administration.”

On Tuesday, a mother of four was pronounced dead at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre after carrying a dead baby inside her womb for five days. The woman, Carol Suniram, of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, had suffered a miscarriage on Friday and was prescribed pills by a doctor to pass out the five-month-old foetus. On Tuesday, Suniram went to the hospital to do an operation to have the foetus removed, but died while in surgery.

Last week, this publication had also reported that a stray dog had brusquely dragged the body of an already dead premature baby out into the compound and dismembered it, making a meal of the dead infant.

Minister Norton had revealed that either the doctor or nurses who delivered the baby are suspected to be responsible for the poorly disposed foetus.

Norton posited that the issue of negligence at the hospital has existed for quite some time, however it is only recently that these issues have been receiving more coverage by the media: “This has been a problem that has been existing for the longest while, and while I agree that there has been more press coverage for whatever reason, those problems existed there all the time.”

In regard to who would be taking over administrative duties at the hospital, the Minister was reluctant to provide a name but stated that the position is temporarily filled: “Somebody is functioning there. With regards to the actual employment, I don’t know if that is completed. I must say that time is of essence, and very shortly we will confirm or regularise employment in that area of administration,” he had stated.