… Patient care takes heavy toll on GPHC resources

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) expends over $100 million annually to care for seriously injured traffic-related accident victims APNU member Dr George Norton says.

Norton, a doctor at the hospital, made the revelation to paint a picture of the scope of traffic accidents which occur daily, and to back the coalition’s call for steps to be taken to make Guyana’s roads safer. APNU yesterday held a press conference during which it lamented the deficiencies it blames for the increase in road accidents over the years.  Stabroek News was unable to verify the figure when contact was made with the hospital’s CEO Michael Khan, although he admitted that a “tremendous” amount of traffic-related accident victims are treated every year.

He also noted that the volume of such cases strains the hospital’s orthopedics department, since the acquisition of the plates, screws, and other materials to be used in such operations are very costly to acquire.