Dear Editor,
In a letter to SN ‘Suddie Hospital urgently needs an X-ray Unit’ (8.5.08), Mr Baliram Persaud, a concerned citizen, expressed grave misgivings regarding the medical facilities at the Suddie Hospital, one of the oldest and arguably the most important regional institutions in Essequibo which for many years now has been without an X-ray machine, a basic diagnostic tool.

The Suddie Hospital serves not only the Essequibo coast but many islands in the Essequibo River as well, and as an islander I am very concerned about the lack of empathy shown by the Ministry of Health for the people of this often forgotten county. It is inconceivable that doctors at Suddie could diagnose and treat patients with confidence, particularly those with fractures, without the use of X-ray technology.

The Minister of Health should give his undivided attention to the needs of these regional institutions and not just concentrate on GPHC. He should have a ‘post-it’note on his computer screen to remind him that the Suddie Hospital urgently needs the installation of an X-ray Unit and his Permanent Secretary, Mr Hydar Ally should set a deadline for its installation with a daily brief for the Hon Minister on installation progress. Funding should not be a cause for further delay as the Ministry of Health has the contingency line item to dig into to pay for an X-ray unit. Yours faithfully,
Charles Sohan