COVID-19 patients fear poor conditions at Diamond isolation unit delaying recovery

UNICEF Representative Sylvie Fouet ( at left) on Friday handed over a donation of sanitizer gel, disinfectant spray, a complete bed for teens and board games among other supplies to the Ministry of Public Health. Deputy Director of Health Emergency Operations Dr. Leston Payne received the donation on behalf of the Ministry of Public Health. In a post on its Facebook page, the ministry said UNICEF is looking forward to supporting the government in improving its COVID-19 response capacity, by increasing focus on addressing the needs of children and adolescents in humanitarian situations. (Ministry of Public Health photo)

Forced to endure cramped quarters, shortages in hygiene products and the repeated disruption of their water supply, some patients housed at the government-run COVID-19 isolation unit at Diamond fear that the poor conditions are inhibiting their speedy recovery.

“I initially chose to refrain from a public airing of the conditions here. As I have explained to others, public awareness of the situation here may deter others from testing if they fear coming and experiencing these conditions and this would have major implications for efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19 in Guyana,” a patient writes in a letter published in today’s Sunday Stabroek.

In the letter, the patient details the many trials they have had to endure since being admitted to the facility after testing positive for COVID-19.