MINISTER of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, has refuted claims that the airlifting of patient Ulric Michael Cameron, from the Linden Hospital Complex to the Georgetown Public Hospital was as a result of Region 10 Chairman, Sharma Solomon’s “negotiating between the authorities,” as stated in an article in the July 25th 2012 edition of the Stabroek News. “The airlifting of the patient was done from the Linden Hospital Complex and this was done without the intervention of Regional Chairman, Mr. Sharma Solomon,” Minister Ramsaran stated at a press conference yesterday.
He explained that he was in continuous communication with Dr. Mohamed Riyasat, who was attending to the patient at the Linden Hospital Complex.
Cameron was in a bad condition when admitted and the hospital was stabilizing him. Since he was not responding as he should have, it was decided to move him to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
According to Minister Ramsaran, Dr. Riyasat, in conjunction with the other doctors who were treating the patient had come to a professional decision to transfer him to the GPHC. This decision was arrived at without the intervention of any politician and moreso, Region 10 chairman, Sharma Solomon.
However, it was not possible to get an ambulance through Linden. Minister Ramsaran explained that at that time he was at a Cabinet meeting and was able get assistance from Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, to charter a helicopter for the patient in Linden.
Minister Ramsaran also took the time to praise the team of nine doctors of the Linden Hospital Complex for their outstanding work during this time.
In addition, he noted that the ministry also airlifted some 3,000 pounds of supplies to the Linden Hospital. “At no stage was the Linden Hospital without medical gases, including oxygen. At the height of the crisis, we sent in additional blood.”
The minister also took the time to shed some light on the ministry’s capability to deal with medical emergencies where patients from West Demerara may need to be transferred to GPHC while the Demerara Harbour Bridge is under repairs.
“The Ministry of Health never felt threatened by this development because we had measures in place,” he said.  He advised that in the regions, the health sector is not run by the ministry; rather they work closely with the Ministry of Local Government. He said that in the case of emergencies, a ferry service would be used to transport patients from West Demerara to Georgetown.
This happened when five-year-old Razeem Atkinson of Bartica, who sustained first and second degree burns about his body and was transferred to the West Demerara Regional Hospital and subsequently to GPHC. He was transferred by boat and is now in a stable but serious condition.
However, the Demerara Harbour Bridge was opened to light traffic as of yesterday morning, with special priority being given to ambulances.