THE FOLLOWING article is intended to let the Guyanese public know about the expertise and competencies available at the Georgetown Public Hospital. It is hoped that this article proves instructive reading for those who have to undergo specialized medical treatment and are contemplating an approach to private medical institutions in this regard.

EIGHTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD Shamdeen Dass of 206 Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara fell off his bed on Tuesday, 29th April, and hit his head, resulting in internal bleeding.

On learning of the incident, his daughter Annette and his grandson, who live on the East Coast of Demerara, took the old man, on Thursday, May 1, to a private hospital in the city, where they were informed by a doctor that there appeared to be internal bleeding in Dass’ head, and there was need for a Computed Tomography (CT-Scan) to be performed to determine the extent of the injury.

The family claims to have lodged $80,000 that same night, and to have waited to be apprised of the findings of the scan at the end of the procedure.

However, from Thursday, May 1, when he was admitted to this private institution, up until Wednesday, May 7, when the family eventually withdrew the old man from that institution, family members had to contend with a series of excuses whilst the old man languished in a state of progressive deterioration.

First, they were told on Friday, May 2, that the old man had to be treated for a head stroke, and that his blood count was very low; then, on Saturday, May 3, they were told that a CT-Scan had been done on him but they could not see the film nor were they told the findings.

This charade continued with one excuse after another and with numerous appointments to see the film up until Wednesday, May 7, when a specialist at the private institution told the family that the old man was suffering from a certain ailment that only the private institution could operate on, and that operation would cost between $600,000 and $1M.

In lieu of a film representing the CT-Scan, the specialist gave the old man’s family members a slip of paper with writing on it.

Disappointed, the family members withdrew the old man from the care of that private medical institution and placed him in the Georgetown Public Hospital, but it was the best decision they could have made in terms of looking after the old man’s welfare.

They speak in glowing terms of encountering young, dedicated and courteous professionals at the GPHC, who started the process of looking after the old man from scratch.

When they could not produce a film representing the CT-Scan done on the old man, one of the GPHC doctors took it upon himself to go to that private medical institution to pick up either a film or a CD with the scan. It was from that incident that the old man’s family members got to know that the scan had not been captured on film because the institution’s machine had not been operational.

Nevertheless, both the scan and the operation were performed at the GPHC, and the old man is well on the way to recovery. But what the old man’s family members find mystifying is that when they had been paying off the private institution for the old man’s sojourn there, they had found on the bill, costing in excess of $200,000, a charge for two CT-Scans having been performed by that private institution.

What is also mystifying to the old man’s family members is that, unlike what they had been told about this very special operation costing between $600,000 and $1M to be performed only at the private medical institution, the GPHC doctors did a CT-Scan which determined that there was internal hemorrhaging in the head, and that the blood had accumulated and was compressed and on the verge of exerting pressure on the old man’s brain.

The old man’s relatives say that even though he is still in a delicate position, they have seen definite signs of improvement, for which they are grateful.

And they appreciate that the doctors at GPHC have taken the time to discuss their patient’s condition with them and apprise them of every move being made, rather than treat them as though they were dummies.

However, the octogenarian’s doctors have cautioned the perturbed relatives not to expect dynamic changes overnight, because it will take some time before marked improvement is realized in his condition.
Written By Shirley Thomas