“We have no space left” – Human Services Minister urges families to collect elderly relatives from GPHC

Following the call by the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for the public to help locate the relatives of some 29 elderly patients who have been medically discharged but remain at the facility, the Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud has urged the relatives of the families to collect them as there is simply no space to keep them at the health institution.
She revealed this during a sideline interview on Friday during the launch of the BRAVE policy at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC).
“The thing is, those people have been discharged. They came to the hospital, so they are really their responsibility. However, over time we have been helping them – but we are filled. People have got to stop dumping their parents here,” she remarked. She also mentioned that constant talks have been ongoing between her Ministry and the GPHC to make sure these persons are not left “on the road”.
“I don’t want those people on the road. So I’ve met with the hospital several times. We’ve had several meetings on this thing to make sure nobody’s on the road. Either they keep them or if we have space, we take them. But as of now, we just don’t have the space.”
She highlighted that those who are now in their senior years would have raised children and grandchildren, and she thinks it’s only fair that that same care, compassion, and empathy is shown to them. She added that she very much disapproves of people who dump their family and leave them — whether on the road or at the hospital.
“I used to work at the hospital, and that used to happen then. And it’s a continuation of that. And what has been happening over these five years is that I’ve had several meetings with the team from the hospital and we have discussed ways in which we can work together to ensure that we’re dealing with this. There would have been an assessment of the people by the mental health unit at Hugo Chavez, the Night Shelter and The Palms. And among these three, we’ve been trying to find space. And we have also been assessing and moving to institutions,” she revealed.
“At the end of the day, irrespective of that, we don’t want anyone on the road. They must be somewhere where they’re being taken care of. That’s my view,” she affirmed.
The GPHC earlier this month had shared the names and photographs on its Facebook page of the 29 medically discharged persons left at the hospital, asking for public assistance in locating family members, as it urged family and relatives to make contact with the institution regarding the individuals.
They are George Barton of Lot 85 Collingwood Avenue Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara (EBD), Oscar Ombrella of 260 Sec A, Field 8, Sophia South, Georgetown, Kenrick Velloza of 246 Blygezight, Campbellville, Morris Perreira of 130, 5th Street, Alberttown, Hubert Gaskin of 37 Durban & Lime Streets Georgetown, Rameshwar Singh (address unknown), Trevor Figuera of Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara (WCD), Mark Dillion of Lot 8 Bagotstown EBD, Suraj Singh Ragubir of Lot 1122 Onderneeming West Bank Demerara (WBD), Wayne Lewis (address unknown), Joseph Daniels, Khemraj Tikaram of Lot 1202 Gauling Place South Ruimveldt Park Georgetown, Earl Melville of Kuru Kururu, Linden-Soesdyke Highway, Joseph Gordan of 168 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Mohamed Khalin of 68 2nd Street Campbellville, Simon Holm of Charlotte Street Georgetown, Neave Cox of 125 King Edwards Street, Albouystown Mohamed Hafeez (Address Unknown), Jaipaul of Vryheid Lust, East Coast Demerara (ECD), Gerard Charles (address unknown), Earl Thomas of 647 West Ruimveldt Georgetown, Charles Quail, Lynette Mc Gowan of 34 Friendship EBD, Radica Germathe Shiverattan of West Minster Parfaite Harmonie WBD, Olympia Abrams Rooknee Meetoorar of 357 BB Eccles, EBD, Kim Hardly of Plaisance ECD, Petronella Wilkinson, Chandra Rampersaud of 358 Sec D Non Pariel, ECD and Reandre Yearwook.