Reducing the problems facing public health care will give confidence to clients to trust the system

Reference is made to your editorial “Redress” (Apr 25, 2021) relating to the deficiencies in the health care system and the poor response from authorities. While not excusing or not indicting anyone, Guyana has not been known to have a robust medical care system to address medical complaints or problems. Every health Minister has been overwhelmed by problems besetting the system that has a culture immune to reform and change. Thus, in spite of an active Minister and two former Health Ministers as Assistants, problems continue to plague the state of health care in the country. In recent years, media reports suggested a very high infant and maternal mortality. Also, there has been a Covid-19 spike, approaching that of a tsunami given the small size of our population, and various other problems that beset public health care. Much of the problems relate to medical incompetence and malpractice. There is inept handling of medical malpractice. Since Independence, the nation has been plagued with high reports of medical negligence and malpractices as was the case with the woman who was misdiagnosed with Covid-19 resulting in an accident at the Covid-19 hospital and amputation of her leg. There are countless other misdiagnosed cases like hers. And after the tragedies come the routine statements, apologies, promises of an investigation or an inquiry but no compensation (as is the case of amputee Padmini McRae) and no acceptance of blame. Then the matters die.

Also, there has been problems with medication. We were faced shortages of medicines at various times in our history especially during the dictatorship although that is not the case now. Instead, I read of the tens of millions of American dollars of medicines that were bought by successive governments that are being destroyed because they have expired and there is no inquiry or accountability. No one is held accountable for the various ills of government administered health care and pharmacies even when evidence indicts health personnel. The accused or guilty carry on as usual. Unless there are stringent punishments in place against those who engages in malpractice and who provide poor medical service (attention) and visible action against them, nothing will change. Ignoring their malbehavior or a punishing those with a mere slap in the wrist will not work. Government should not allow itself to be blackmailed by the paucity or shortage of skilled medical staff and retain who are consistently putting life in danger. If we don’t have enough or competent medical practitioners (doctors, nurses, aides, physician assistants, etc., or those competent in specialized fields), then for God’s sake, let us import them. Clearly, the medical personnel have been failing patients. There have been too many misdiagnoses. Experienced doctors and nurses are needed to supervise or overlook staff. Recruit them!

More needs to be done to address the problems at government hospitals and health centers as well as to tackle medical malpractices. Defects in the health care system need immediate fixing. The Minister and his assistants should put in place a safety system to ensure foolproof diagnoses and safety norms. These must be at par or greater than the quality of care being provided to patients. Untoward incidents should be averted at all costs. It is advisable that the Minister and his advisors put in place a system to hear and list peoples’ complaints and quickly address them to avoid a repeat. This would help to reduce the number of problems facing public health care and give confidence by would be patients to trust it.