By Navendra Seoraj
GUYANA, like many countries around the world, has been unable to escape the severe effects of the dreaded novel coronavirus (COVID-19), a disease which has so far claimed 114 lives, locally.
The severity of this scourge is evidenced by the consistent rise in the number of deaths, which has so far climbed to 32 for this month alone.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Guyana has the fourth highest number of COVID-19 deaths in CARICOM, following behind Bahamas (third), Jamaica (second) and Haiti (first).
Guyana recorded its first death and case on March 11 and at the end of July, the total number of deaths was 20 but this figure has since quadrupled in three months.
Statistics seen by this newspaper show that the majority of the COVID-19 patients have died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), which is the only facility equipped with a COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The Guyana Chronicle was informed that 81 COVID-19 patients died at this hospital between March, 2020 and October 19, 2020. This figure is just one less than the amount of persons who died in GHPC’s regular ICU.
Of the 81 COVID-19 patients who died at the hospital, 48 died in the COVID-19 ICU and 33 died while either receiving treatment in the “transitional ward” or in the emergency unit before testing positive for COVID-19.
In explaining the local situation, head of GPHC’s COVID-19 task force, Dr. Mahendra Carpen, had told this newspaper: “A lot of people assigned as COVID-19 deaths are dying from so many other things, but just happen to be COVID-19 positive.
“There are a number of patients who died from stroke, kidney failure, diabetic ketoacidosis, but unfortunately that is the way deaths are reported during the pandemic…that is just how it is.”
And, while authorities have been utilising various remedies and medication to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on patients, Dr. Carpen lamented the late recognition of symptoms, and consequently late treatment.
“People are coming late to the hospital and are not recognising symptoms…what is more important, when people come late, we have to think about what happened to them before, who they were exposed to and who they put at risk,” said the renowned Cardiologist.
It is for this reason that the “medical mantra,” ‘test, trace, isolate and treat,’ remains important not just in Guyana, but across the world.
Medical institutions the world over, through doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers, have been leading the fight against this “invisible killer.”
And, with no existing treatment or vaccine for this deadly disease, medical institutions have been forced to be innovative in their approach to fighting it, while also catering for the needs of persons who suffer from pre-existing ailments or other injuries.
This is where the GPHC comes in, as it has been leading the way by putting systems in place to ensure that its facilities are properly separated, so that transmission of the disease would not occur.
It was reported that this process started way back in December 2019, when the alarm bells were first sounded in China, so when the scourge did hit Guyana in March this year, GPHC was prepared to lead the fight against it.
“We have advanced from there; we have developed systems from the gate to the wards,” said Director of Medical and Professional Services, Dr. Fawcett Jeffery, adding: “Screening is being done at every entrance, and we have set up triage points. We used to have a physical tent for triaging, but we have since constructed a building, so we have a special complex to house doctors from the COVID-19 unit.”
The new complex houses the general medical unit for COVID-19 patients, and the Pediatric COVID-19 Unit, a unit established specifically to treat children.
Anyone who displays any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or needs any additional information, can contact the COVID-19 Emergency numbers: 231 1166, 226 7480 or 624 6674 immediately, or visit the ministry’s website at www.health.gov.gy.
