Dear Editor,
Now that it has been made public that a woman had to give birth to her baby in a barber’s shop because the Dr C C Nicholson Hospital in Nabaclis, ECD, could not be accessed and the midwives were unavailable, one would like to politely ask the Minister of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran this question: What are the opening and closing times of the three health centres on the East Coast of Demerara, ie, Industry Health Centre, BV Health Centre and Lusignan Health Centre?
The reason for asking is that most days of the week these health centres are already closed for the latter part of the working day, or will have just one administrative health worker who is not a doctor, “holding on” until four o’clock. Regarding doctors’ attendance, they arrive mid-morning and leave a few hours later, sometimes before attending to patients. Most ill persons go to these health centres in the early morning and may see a doctor before 11am. If one goes at 8am he/she would not have a chance to see the “busy” doctor; one would be told by the clerk at the desk “Come back tomorrow.”
And yet, some doctors can be seen or met at their private clinics at their homes any time – at a charge though!
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
