THE Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) is in distress and disbelief following the discovery of 26-year-old Schinese Apple dead in her room at the nurses’ hostel at Mahdia, Region Eight, (Potaro-Siparuni).
According to a release from the MoPH, the ministry is still in shock at the tragic loss.

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, indicated that Nurse Apple’s demise has saddened the public sector and her loss is a loss for the ministry.
Minister Lawrence said that since learning of the death of Nurse Apple, who was stationed at the Mahdia District Hospital, she has been in constant contact with the father of the deceased, Mr Dexter Copeland. “I spoke with him personally about the post-mortem and other issues,” the minister said during Monday’s meeting with staff members.

Lawrence advised Copeland to travel to Georgetown instead of to Mahdia as he had originally planned, since arrangements were already well advanced to transport the body to the capital, so that the family can witness the post-mortem (PM) at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).Lawrence said that Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh, was scheduled to conduct the autopsy.

“I had detailed discussions with him [Mr Copeland],” Minister Lawrence confirmed Monday, disclosing that the Mahdia hospital also provided pictures of the deceased nurse to Mr Copeland.

“The MoPH has been there from the inception. We have been dealing directly with the father,” the minister said.

She said that the MoPH has also advanced arrangements with the Ministry of Social Protection (MoSP) for financial support for funeral arrangements; the ministry will continue to render support to the family, Minister Lawrence said.

Meanwhile, Dr Chrissundra Abdool, Regional Health Officer (RHO) of Region Eight, contacted the police who launched an investigation into her sudden death last week. Since then, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Regional Health Service (RHS) under Dr Kay Shako have been conducting separate investigations into the death of the young healthcare worker.
“I believe in allowing due process to take place,” Lawrence said, as she explained why she has not been on the forefront making pronouncements on the tragedy.

Nevertheless, she has counselled the rest of the country’s healthcare workers not to “give up hope, but build on the legacy (of Ms Apple) and help make her proud.”
She charged health sector workers to “continue serving to the best of your ability.”

Director, Regional Health Services, Dr Kay Shako Monday charged especially nurses not to “fear being deployed to the country’s interior locations,” to serve. Shako promised that the MoPH will be “more diligent” when deploying nurses in the outlying regions.

She said counselling sessions will be made available to all healthcare employees who believe they are affected by Nurse Apple’s death.
According to Dr Shako, nurses and other categories of healthcare professionals have been traumatised by the sudden death of the MoPH staff and the event would have “impacted their performance” negatively.