DIRECTOR of Regional Health Services in Region Six, Jevaughn Stephens has confirmed that 12 doctors attached to the New Amsterdam Referral Hospital, remain on leave while the others have been recalled, including Medical Superintendent Dr. V. Khirodhar.

Stephens made the statement, as he attempted to clarify, the issues as it relates to the number of doctors sent on annual leave at one instance. On Thursday, the Region Six Administration expressed outrage after Stephens had confirmed that 18 doctors proceeded on their annual vacation leave.

At the time he was quick to clear himself of any wrong doing, and placed the blame squarely at the feet of Medical Superintendent Dr. V. Khirodhar, who is tasked with preparing the roster for the doctors. Addressing Regional Chairman David Armogan at the monthly statutory meeting, Stephens said, “Chairman, I have not seen the leave applications, but the ministry is addressing the issue .This is unacceptable. Khirodhar has the responsibility of scheduling the doctors, and she is also on leave.”

Responding, Armogan said, “This is totally unacceptable for health services. Something is wrong with the rostering of the leave. The roster should have been prepared in such a way that the system does not suffer its beneficiaries.”

Armogan has since suggested that some doctors be recalled, while charging the director to ensure that there is a full complement of doctors to meet the demand. However, at Monday’s press briefing Stephens noted that the absence of the doctors caused no major setback, as the health institution has a total of 80 doctors 55 of whom are Guyanese. The others are Cubans.

According to him, while, 60 doctors were left to manage the regional referral hospital, it was only the Accident and Emergency Unit which was affected, as there was a longer waiting period for patients seeking medical intervention at that department.
The Guyana Chronicle understands that the doctors might have deliberately taken their leave–though all were not approved–to coincide with the annual visit of an overseas-based medical team due to an inappropriate verbal assault meted out to the medical professionals by an official of the Ministry of Public Health.

Meanwhile, Stephens also took the opportunity to address reports of malfunctioning health centres at Number 76 Village, Corentyne and at Plegtanker, East Bank Berbice. These multi-million dollar structures were constructed from the 2016 and 2017 budgets, respectively. The issue was initially ventilated by Deputy Chairman Dennis De Roop, who had lambasted the regional administrators for spending money on projects which are not beneficial to the citizenry in a timely manner.

The director had explained on that occasion, that the setback was due to remedial works, which included plumbing and electrical works, and that the contractor was asked to correct the deficiencies. Accordingly, the engineering department was yet to hand over the building. But, DeRoop had questioned if after three years, the issue of structural deficiencies is now ventilated and deemed the response as totally unacceptable.

However, Stephens has since related that furniture has since been procured, and staff have been trained to attend to the scores of residents in the various communities, when the centres open shortly. In the meantime, with respect to the electricity shortfall at the Skeldon Public Hospital, which resulted in the nonoperation of the x-ray , ultra sound , and physiotherapy departments, along with the air cooling units, the director revealed that the upper Corentyne health institution usually receives electricity from the Guyana Sugar Corporation, but, the hospital is no longer connected to GUYSUCO.

Consequently, there is need for rewiring and a new transformer. However, despite the ongoing challenges, Stephen said that in cases of emergency, patients can access the ultra sound and x-ray services.