Comments on: GPHC wards gutted

By: shalini

shalini — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:32:44 +0000

How or where in the world does a mentally ill patient get a box of matches? this whole thing does not sound right… I am not buying this story…

By: Superman

Superman — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 04:18:03 +0000

WOW!…Simply unbelievable!…What, was it show and tell day in the ward?

By: carifta

carifta — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 02:59:39 +0000

That is right Evan, forget about the building, sprinkler systems should be installed in these buildings to protect lives.

By: berry

berry — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:15:53 +0000

How can a mentally ill person living at the hospital institution have access to matches in his condition? I think that there is more in the mortar than the pestle. The persons in authority needs to investigate this thouroughly and let the public know exactly what happened at the hospital.

By: malaika06

malaika06 — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:15:38 +0000

Oh please! “….Minister and Administration aware of this sickening situation; what actions……………”

There are so many inactions by this Administration on so many levels that it’s a wonder that Guyana hasn’t fallen off the map as yet!!!

By: woodpecker131

woodpecker131 — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:53:10 +0000

in reality we have to work to change more than the political culture of the nation. who have eyes to see can see that where the country is headed is not favorable towards people of lesser means and it forces one to choose between morality and subjection. people are selling themselves just to have a stable life. brings opne back to the annalogy: of one killing themself to mind themself or selling a brother down the drain to get upin life or so it seems.

By: woodpecker131

woodpecker131 — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:47:16 +0000

pertaining to the labumba interview, by now everyone should know that lubumba is a bully and an intimidator, he did it when he was involve with boxers and he did it when he was involve in soccer, where else will he go from here? we are watching.

By: UncleJoe

UncleJoe — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:46:13 +0000

While vacationing in Guyana last Octcber, I visited an old friend who was hospitalised after being severely mauled by two pit bulls in Ruimveldt. I was appalled at the horrible conditions in what passes for a hospital. I saw vintage IV equipment dangling carelessly from rusting hooks driven into crude unfinished wooden gallows-style frames above patients’ beds. I saw filthy bandages on patients’ limbs. I saw young nurses in dingy uniforms with faces tired and drawn beyond their years. I saw patients given prescribed medication enclosed in little plastic envelopes with absolutely no drug names, dosage instructions or cautions printed on them. I saw medical supplies stored in broken-down wooden cabinets that looked as if they were salvaged from a dumpsite. Therefore, I cannot say with any honesty that I’m sorry to see a section of the place burned out. I just hope that the missing patients soon turn up no worse for wear.
Some of you might say that I was just another overseas Guyanese choosing to see Guyana through American eyes. But I ask you this; is there an acceptable lesser substitute for basic medical standards of care?

By: mackydog

mackydog — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:48:46 +0000

What a sad situation indeed, now the old wooden buildings are gone. It’s time that these buildings should be replaced and built from concrete. Wood is too vulnarable to fire. The wood that these buildings were made from had become very dry over the years so a fire would just walk through without resistance.
Like the forests get burnt from fires, the regrowth is often greener and more supportive to life…so shall the regrowth of the GPHC.

By: rwilliams

rwilliams — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:32:31 +0000

It boggles the mind that a number of mentally ill patients are herded and locked up in one room, apparently with little or no supervision, and with there being a recent murder and a history of violence in this particular section of the hospital.
Is the Minister of Health Mr. leslie Ramsammy and the Administration of this institution aware of the prevailing situation ?
And, if the Hon. Minister and the authorities are aware of this sickening situation; what actions have been taken to remedy it ?
I guess these are sick, poor and vulnerable souls, who are not given the attention they deserve from the political administration and its agencies, which are preoccupied mainly with political control, propaganda and rhetoric – all, at the expense of the poor, vulnerable and ordinary members of the society.
So many other incidents have demonstrated this !
With all the boasts and propaganda of advancement of health care by this political administration, this hospital continues to be plagued by gross negligence and mismanagement.
Recently, there was the death of a young woman in this institution, as a result of mismanagement and poor service.

By: Evan

Evan — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:42:43 +0000

Good observation. Millions of dollars in “modern buildings” and no such safety technology. So much for modern building and codes. Further, we need to start using building technology and standards which would limit the spread of fire in such huge public buildings, confining it to just the area or segment where it started.

By: cochore

cochore — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:10:26 +0000

Ol’ house pun ol’ house…This tragedy could be a blessing in disguise, ’cause it’s about time they modernize with an upgraded 21st century style Public General Hospital.

They’ll get a World Bank loan for Health services and Hospitals easy, but the problem will be local corruption in terms of getting the biggest bang for the buck. Hopefully, things like accountability, transparency, efficiency and audit will play a major role in this new hospital project

By: sheik

sheik — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:16:27 +0000

What’s new? Guyana is up to date with the most modern criminal skills,tactics and weaponry but seems reluctant to embrace new systems and tecnology when it comes to enhancing service to the people.The US sponsered conference on crime in guyana was meaningless .We lost out on a good opportunity to learn from other countries experience.Perhaps that is the reason
why matches are allowed in a psychiatric facility.

By: ALL_GT

ALL_GT — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:05:35 +0000

Lack of supupervision it appears like… One would expect some members of the staff to be stationed inside of the ward to check on the inmates and maintain order. You simply cannot lock metal inmates in a ward and dismiss the loud noises as the ‘usual sounds’. If inmates are aggressive they must be restrained to protect the other inmates from harm.

By: sagga Grand K-Man

sagga Grand K-Man — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:30:23 +0000

The fire services responded promptly but with low water supply, that defeats the purpose of being there period, a patient set a matress on fire,how come a person of unsound mind being in a mental institution has access to matches,probably he has to prepare his own meals a few days ago a young patient was murdered in the same institution whats going on. It is apparent that these people are not there for any type of rehabilitation since they are unsupervised how were they able to have a weapon to murder and now matches to commit arson? I guess in Guyana nothing is impossible anymore on the Caribbean news this morning I overheard the report of the airport lighting facilities,they are trying to have them sourced in Trinidad or Barbados and these will should be installed by weekend,Guyana is the host of Crifesta which these activities begins on August 22nd, and they are now scampering around to get this done how much lower could this nation go? Guyanese wake up you hired a Government and in the same like manner you could have them fired by way of your vote this is pass a crisis stage.

By: CFO

CFO — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:11:47 +0000

How in the world does an inmate of such an institution get matches!

Take this as a lesson that you need sprinklers in all modern buildings.

By: bharrat jagan

bharrat jagan — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:28:55 +0000

so the inmates are finallyu running the asylum
how does a man set fire to a mattress and no one on staff notices fire or smoke?
remember that another crazy inmate murdered natasha vieira last week…in this same place!!

By: Evan

Evan — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:11:21 +0000

Congrats guys for a job well done despite the constraints.

By: torbo

torbo — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:24:13 +0000

the fire service responded within hours they had WATER PROBLEMS THAT IS RUBBISH, these fire trucks should always be ready to respond to any
emergencies and why these mentally ill patients are allowed to have matches
on them that is slackness on the part of hospital security. total nonsense going
on in guyana.