Doctors lost expensive equipment

Several medical practitioners who ran operated private practices at the hospital were badly affected by yesterday’s blaze as they lost expensive and state-of-the-art modern equipment as well as, in some cases, all their patients’ records.

Dr Jennifer Bulkan, who has conducted a private dental practice at the hospital for about 10 years, when contacted yesterday, said her office was completely destroyed and she was unable to save anything. Her office was in the front building in the compound, she said.

She was unable to estimate her losses but said that her office was insured.

Recounting what happened yesterday, Dr Bulkan said she received a call in the morning informing her that the hospital was on fire.

She said she did not go to the fire scene immediately but eventually went to the site around noon to determine the extent of the damage and found her office completely razed.

Despite her massive losses, Dr Bulkan already has plans to restart her practice.

She told Stabroek News that from tomorrow, she will be seeing patients at the office of one of her colleagues and patients can contact her on telephone number 648-1818

Dr Roger Viapree, an ear, nose and throat specialist, whose office was on the top floor also lost everything in the fire and is now deciding on the way forward.

Well-known paediatrician Dr Rohan Jabour was also housed close to Drs Bulkan and Viapree on the top flat of that building. Drs Fredericks and Searwar also had offices in the now razed building.

Meanwhile, as word of the fire spread, representatives of the hospital’s insurance agency turned up in an attempt to assess the damage. However, they were initially denied access to the building by the police as the firemen were continuing their efforts to contain the blaze.