Health Ministry launches probe into snake bite victim death

The Ministry of Health has launched an investigation into the death of 57-year-old Mabaruma, Region One resident Eugene Thomas following complaints by her relatives that the doctor at Mabaruma delayed her referral to Georgetown, which may have resulted in her eventual death from a snake bite earlier this month.

Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy yesterday told Stabroek News that the first he heard of the incident was when he saw a report in yesterday’s edition of the Stabroek News and he immediately contacted the head of the Regional Health Services and instructed that all information be taken from the hospital at Mabaruma and an investigation be launched. He said at the time while no official complaint was made to the ministry a “proactive” approach was taken in the matter.

However, the woman’s sister Rose Loy told Stabroek News that she visited the ministry yesterday and met Minister within the Ministry of Health Dr Bheri Ramsarran who indicated that an investigation would be launched. She said Ramsarran told her he only learnt of the matter when he saw it in the papers. According to the woman, who said the minister was very “accommodating” and she felt satisfied after the meeting, the minister told her that all “papers to my sister’s death have been requested” from the hospital and the matter would be investigated.

Efforts to contact Dr Ramsarran proved to be futile as he was not in office when this newspaper made contact.

Thomas of Thomas Hill, Mabaruma, died on April 7 a little over three days after she was beaten by a snake as she was returning home from bingo. Her relatives believe that the almost 48 hours delay before she was referred to the city contributed to her death. The woman’s daughter, Gloria Rouse, had told Stabroek News that the doctor at the hospital had indicated that he was treating the woman for the snake bite. She said the very night her mother was bitten her face was swollen but the doctor told her “that is she pressure.” The woman said the doctor was reluctant to write up a eferral for her mother to the city even though she indicated that the family was prepared to foot the cost. It was only two nights later after the woman started to bleed through her gums that the referral was written. But when she arrived at the Georgetown Public Hospital doctors there told relatives that it might be too late as the poison from the bite had spread throughout her body.

Loy, who had travelled to Guyana from the US last week Thursday and spoke to her sister hours before she succumbed, reported that when she met the doctor following her sister’s burial he indicated to her that he had no snake bite medication to treat her sister and that he was just “observing her”. She also reported that the doctor spoke to her in a “mean” manner and gave her no satisfaction.

Yesterday she said she reported to Ramsarran that the doctor had reported her to the police in Mabaruma alleging that she was very abusive to him. Denying the allegation the woman said she only learnt of the report because her niece is a sergeant at the station but said the police had not questioned her.

Meanwhile, Dr Ramsammy yesterday said that he concerned about the continued about the lack of antivenin medication at health institutions. He said the ministry has the medication, which though not available at health centres, should be found at all hospitals. He said it would have to be investigated why the Mabaruma Hospital reportedly had none at the time Thomas was admitted. He said the medication cannot be administered at health centres “because it has major side effects.” He said because of the side effects the medication must be administered in a setting where people can respond to the side effects as it may cause more harm than achieving the goal.

“That is why it has to be at the hospital and not at health centres because the capacity at the health centre and the level of staff would not be able to respond to the side effects,” the minister said.