A manager’s report from the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, says Guyanese national Jeetindra Sookram did undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) which showed he had a heart attack. But when nurses were looking for him so he could be given further treatment, Sookram was nowhere to be found. Sookram, 35, died while en route to a private hospital last Thursday.
North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) chairman Dr Shehenaz Mohammed, who spoke to the T&T Guardian about the report, said she believed the genesis of the problem arose out of confusion over “the pink form”, a financial-obligation statement to be signed on accessing emergency care. She said the form had become unnecessary and agreed with Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan, who gave instructions that the form must no longer be presented to patients.
“The CCTV footage showed the husband was immediately taken into triage during which the wife was asked to register him so that the hospital could create a file on the patient and have the necessary data,” Mohammed said. She said the “pink form” was given to Sookram’s wife Vidya Baichu and it appeared she had difficultly in interpreting it. “There is no audio on the footage so from what we have seen was the wife attempting to get assistance and it appeared she got frustrated and left.
“The husband did undergo an ECG, which showed he got a heart attack and when they were looking for him he could not be located,” Mohammed said. She said when the hospital was turned into a public institution in 2005 it appeared it was done without any planning, as staff at the operational level seemed to be without guidance in terms of procedures. Mohammed said Baichu was expected to meet with hospital officials today.
Widow: No help offered
In a hastily called press conference at Jubilee Street, Aranguez, yesterday, Baichu said she was expected to return to Guyana today to make funeral arrangements for her husband. She said she had got assistance from the Guyanese consulate for her husband’s body to be flown back to their homeland. She said the main reason she called the press conference was to clear her name and deny Khan’s statements that help had been offered to Sookram.
“The things that the minister is saying about me, it is not so. They didn’t give me anything to fill out. The Health Minister just take one side of the story. He just listened to the hospital to hear their side. “I did not get any ‘pink form’ or anything to sign,” Baichu said. Asked whether any hospital officials had since contacted her, she said she received a call yesterday but said she refused to speak over the phone.
Baichu said she was willing to go to the hospital to give a statement but was unable to do so as she had several errands to do regarding arrangements for her husband’s body. Khan has ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Sookram’s death. He also said “pink forms” were not necessary in emergency situations but were mandatory for chronic situations like cancer treatment.
Widow: No help offered
In a hastily called press conference at Jubilee Street, Aranguez, yesterday, Baichu said she was expected to return to Guyana today to make funeral arrangements for her husband. She said she had got assistance from the Guyanese consulate for her husband’s body to be flown back to their homeland. She said the main reason she called the press conference was to clear her name and deny Khan’s statements that help had been offered to Sookram.
“The things that the minister is saying about me, it is not so. They didn’t give me anything to fill out. The Health Minister just take one side of the story. He just listened to the hospital to hear their side. “I did not get any ‘pink form’ or anything to sign,” Baichu said. Asked whether any hospital officials had since contacted her, she said she received a call yesterday but said she refused to speak over the phone.
Baichu said she was willing to go to the hospital to give a statement but was unable to do so as she had several errands to do regarding arrangements for her husband’s body. Khan has ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Sookram’s death. He also said “pink forms” were not necessary in emergency situations but were mandatory for chronic situations like cancer treatment.