Dear Editor,
Mrs Maribeth Singh of Nappi Village is the Head Teacher of Konashen Primary School of the Wai Wai Village of Massakinyeri in the upper Essequibo river; a location that takes as much as fourteen days to reach by paddling.
Some time in July 2009, Mrs Singh visited a doctor at the Lethem Hospital about a condition peculiar to womankind. She was advised that an operation had to be done as soon as the hospital’s theatre became fully operational.
She is now into her tenth month of visiting this hospital whenever her pain becomes unbearable, which has become very frequent of late. Up to now she has been unable to undertake this surgery.
The standard treatment being given by the hospital would be some pain killers or an injection to staunch the pain and excessive bleeding. No one is telling her the exact nature of her problem. Fibroids perhaps, or worse? More baffling is why she hasn’t been referred to the Georgetown Hospital after all these months. She has begun to assume the worst, and this long period of agonizing wait without any solid information as to the exact nature of her ailment is wreaking havoc on her physical and mental well being.
She also wonders why the operating theatre at this supposedly ultra modern Lethem hospital is taking so long to become operational. Also, if the authorities knew that the Theatre would not be operational for sometime, why wasn’t she referred to Georgetown for the operation rather than being forced to wait for such a long period.
Mrs Singh’s condition worsens with every passing month. She feels that no one has her interests at heart as her every visit to the hospital is met with the response of ‘come back again’; while no one takes the responsibility to fully explain the nature of her medical ailment. She lives in dread of wondering that if/when the operation does happen that they may say that the delay has been too long and that her ailment is worse than originally assumed. Is it fair for someone to live this way? Mrs Singh is a true public servant, sacrificing a normal life to travel hundreds of miles into the jungle to teach. The sacrifices that she has made in the interest of teaching are enormous. Couldn’t she be reciprocated by being provided with a basic health service in her time of need?
It is sincerely hoped that someone in the upper echelon of authority takes note of this letter and uses their powers to provide Mrs Maribeth Singh with the medical treatment she deserves. Not only is Mrs Singh suffering, but also her family, and the school that she was forced to put aside to seek medical treatment.
Yours faithfully,
Michael Abraham
Village Elder
Nappi Village
