Jamaica Gleaner

Linstead doctor uncaring

- ODETTE GARRIQUES George Town, Grand Cayman & Treadways, Linstead, St Catherine

I AM a Jamaican mother of four children and four grandchild­ren who is very concerned about the level of treatment offered to our nation’s children.

During a short visit to Jamaica, my six-year-old daughter got very sick. She was running a temperatur­e and cried non-stop because of pain in her left ear. I tried to comfort her some, but with no sign of improvemen­t, I decided to take her to Linstead Hospital.

I was given a seat by a security guard and I sat and watched a nurse who should have taken over the shift stand and chat with parting nurses on the outside for an extended period. After sitting and waiting for over an hour, a nurse finally checked my baby’s vitals, then we were then sent to another bench to sit and await the doctor’s screening.

SHOCK OF MY LIFE

For another hour or more, I heard the doctors asking who was there for screening, so we went in. This is where I got the shock of my life. Doctor: Wah wrong wid her? Me: She has been crying for constant pain in the ear.

Doctor: Carry her go clinic tomorrow. You nuh have painkiller a you yard? I can’t find otoscope to check ear so carry her go clinic in the morning!

Again, she’s going to ask me if I don’t have painkiller­s at home. This lady has not touched my child, checked her in any form, and kept asking me about painkiller­s at home it seems as if I was the doctor administer­ing drugs.

I took my baby to the doctors still in pain on Thursday, only to find out that she had other medical conditions along with an ear infection.

And to know that I was in a government medical facility with minor PAIN and was turned away by a trained medical profession­al.

Our children are not only being abused by people that are kidnapping and killing them; they are being abused by all, as I consider this doctor’s behaviour negligent and abusive.

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