President Irfaan Ali yesterday told Berbicians that the New Amsterdam Public Hospital will be investigated and persons will be held accountable following harrowing stories from patients about their experience there.
On a visit to Berbice yesterday, the President stated that he had recently read a “few nightmare stories (about) the New Amsterdam Hospital and we have to fix it, people have to be held responsible”.
He said the administration and staff have a duty to serve people with dignity “and some of the stories that I have read are stories that are heart-breaking”.
According to President Ali, he has since spoken with the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony who is sending a special team to investigate the operations at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.
He told the residents that the government cannot only build roads, create employment and revive the sugar industry but they also have to ensure that the “systems of government, the health care services, educational services, work in the interest of the people”.
He told the residents gathered yesterday that Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo, who is from Region Six, has been placed in a high position within the Ministry of Health.
Just recently a Berbice mother spoke out against the hospital after her newborn was discharged with a gaping wound on his hand due to a suspected burn from a defective intravenous line which she was never made aware of.
It was only after Trishanna Ally, 23, arrived home with her child and removed the bandage on the child’s hand that she discovered the injury. She took him to a private medical clinic where she was informed that her son had an infection and suffered some sort of burn from a defective line which was used to administer medication to him.
The woman had relayed that she was unconscious for some time after her C Section at the hospital. She said that when she finally had the opportunity to see her son she was told that he had a bad reaction to the medication hence the bandage was placed.
She was also told that it was not something to worry about but the private doctor told her that had the infection remained untreated then her son could have possibly lost his hand.
The first-time mother had told Stabroek News that she had returned to the New Amsterdam Hospital and requested a list of the medication administered to her son but was provided with none.
Over the last few years there have been repeated complaints about service at the New Amsterdam Hospital.
