…contracted disease while visiting relatives

By Navendra Seoraj

WELL-KNOWN Guyanese Medical Practitioner, Dr. Ramesh Sugrim, is now critical after contracting the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease in New York, the state which has been labelled as the epicentre of the disease in the United States of America (USA).

The 66-year-old doctor contracted the disease after travelling to the US to see his family during March.

“He was admitted to the hospital in New York, on March 27, 2020 after picking up the virus,” said Dr. Sugrim’s brother, Suresh Sugrim, in an invited comment on Monday.

Suresh, who resides in Florida, told this publication that Dr. Sugrim’s wife, Parbattie Sugrim, and son, Dr. Surendra Sugrim, had also contracted the disease, but they have since been recovering after being hospitalised.

While doctor Sugrim’s wife remains hospitalised and in a stable condition, his son, who is a medical practitioner in the US, has already been discharged and is recovering at his house in New York.

“My brother is, however, very critical and we are hoping that with prayers, he will pull through,” said Suresh.

Dr. Sugrim has spent most of his life serving Guyana as a medical practitioner, a profession which he took on over 30 years ago. Suresh said his brother has treated persons not just from Guyana, but others who have travelled to Guyana from many developed nations, just to be treated by Dr. Sugrim.

Although most of his family had migrated to the US, Dr. Sugrim chose to stay in Guyana, specifically in Corentyne, Berbice, where he had established his medical clinic. He, however, travels frequently to see his family, said Suresh.

Considering the condition of his brother and that of thousands of people from across the world, Suresh said COVID-19 is well alive and it is something to take very seriously.

The resident of Florida, who is President of the Humanitarian Mission in Guyana, urged Guyanese to take more precautions and adhere to the rules and regulations which are established by the local health authorities.

“I have been seeing pictures of people who are not listening to authorities and officials. They have not been practicing social distancing and the other measures,” he said, noting that the disease has devastated parts of the world’s economic superpower, America, and if allowed to spread throughout Guyana, it can be very catastrophic.

In this regard, he called on all Guyanese to take the disease seriously because it affects all persons, regardless of their status, race, political affiliation and social standing.

In stressing the seriousness of the disease, Suresh said: “Many doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers have fallen because of this pandemic…I have friends who are medical doctors and nurses, who have died.”

“Government can only do so much to help us, we as individuals need to do the rest… so I call on you to stay home and practice social distancing because there is only so much the police and government can do.”

It was reported recently that the dreaded COVID-19 disease had claimed the lives of 34 Guyanese in New York. This was according to information from the Guyana Consulate in New York, which was highlighted by Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo on Saturday during a virtual press briefing. The prime minister said the list at reference is a partial one, as it does not reflect a global figure, seeing that Guyanese live and work all across the world. He, however, said that partial or not, the government will continue to rely on its foreign missions to provide information on the status of Guyanese abroad.

According to reports out of ‘The Big Apple’, the Guyana Consulate-General in New York has created a means for Guyanese to publicly pay tribute to loved ones lost to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. Those tributes are reportedly being shared on a Facebook page named, ‘Honoring Guyanese Lost to Coronavirus’, and has already received an outpouring of tributes, support and condolences to the families and friends of those being featured on it.

Considering the increasing loss of lives across the globe because of the COVID-19 disease, some 12,000 Guyanese residing in New York have requested to return home to Guyana. Similar requests have been made by some 80 other Guyanese living in Miami, and close to 200 who work on international cruise ships.

“We have received requests from Guyanese who want to come back, but we are on lockdown, and no flights would come in until the existing orders expire, or if it is amended…,” the PM said, adding: “We first have to look at how incidences are mounting; already we have 40 cases (now 45) and six deaths, so we need to look at this and review some of our measures. But I cannot say any consideration regarding the requests is active.”

Noting that one needs to take into account that Guyana’s first COVID-19 case was an imported one, as have other cases proven to be, Minister Nagamootoo said that while the government empathises with those Guyanese who want to come home, he would suggest that they “sit it out” a while longer.

Government, he said, first needs to give itself space to deal with cases here; do proper contact tracing; reduce imported cases; and complete arrangements to have facilities to quarantine persons who come back. “They (those wanting to return) would have to subject themselves to quarantine, so we will need facilities for the thousands of Guyanese who wish to come home,” the PM said, adding: “We would want them to come back home, but they need to understand the challenges we face at home… If they come home right now, it will overwhelm medical and physical capacity to accommodate them and give them the treatment they deserve.”