Residents in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) are complaining bitterly about the lack of essential medication and services at the Suddie Public Hospital.
Suddie Hospital, Essequibo Coast
Many persons have vented concerns over the lack of medications and essential tests there. Due to the shortages many patients have to endure additional expenses, and quite a few of them have to deprive themselves due to lack of funds.
According to one patient who had severe chest pains, she was denied an X-ray at the when the technician told her the hospital was out of Chest X-ray films. That patient travelled from Anna Regina to Suddie to seek medical attention but was told to visit the Charity Oscar Joseph Hospital for the X-ray. Other patients have echoed similar sentiments and vented their frustrations.
At the RDC statutory meeting for April, PPP/C councillor Arnold Adams also reported about the lack of essential medications at public medical facilities. Present at the meeting was medical superintendent of the Suddie Hospital Sonia Grey who admitted that indeed there is a shortage of Chest X-ray and it is causing great inconvenience to patients. Same was reported to the Ministry of Public Health but to date no films have been delivered.
Grey said the hospital has many challenges, one being the short supply of X-ray films. She related that of every day of last week there was an accident that required Chest X-ray and the hospital could not have performed same.
Those persons had to be rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital to access that service. Many families have also complained over the additional expenses they incur to travel to GPH to access service.
Most of them do not even have accommodation to stay.
Complaints were also made that X-rays done a Suddie Hospital always differ from that done at Charity Hospital.
Councillors from the Region Two RDC have also questioned the credibility and accuracy of the machines. The Medical Superintendent however has promised to launch an investigation into the matter of alleged inaccuracy of the X-ray machines.
