A post-mortem examination done on a 78-year-old West Demerara woman whose relatives complained about her treatment at the Wales Dispensary found that she died of a heart attack following an allergic drug reaction.
Jameran Haniff of Middlesex, Canal Number Two, West Bank Demerara died at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) on Tuesday morning after being admitted there last week Friday following the allergic reaction.
Relatives of the woman had questioned the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death and had called for an investigation. Yesterday, Jameran’s grandson, Shameer Haniff said that the matter had been reported to the Ministry of Health and also the police.
He said that the post-mortem examination re-vealed that his grandmother died of cardiac failure with a significant factor contributing to her death being an allergic reaction.
Recounting the incident that led to her being admitted to the medical institution, Haniff had told this newspaper that his grandmother had gone to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) Wales Dispensary last week Thursday after suffering from diarrhoea the previous night. He said that she was treated and sent away. He said that later that evening, she complained of a burning sensation on her skin and the following day, she was taken back to the dispensary where she was looked at, treated and sent away.
Later that evening, he said, the sensation worsened with her skin becoming swollen and fluid appearing to be under it, giving the appearance of burns. As a result she was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, but was referred to the GPH, where she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. He said that her skin had begun to peel off from the neck downwards. “She was beyond recognition”, he stated.
He said that the following day the elderly woman was transferred to the open ward, where she subsequently succumbed last Tuesday. He noted that during this time his grandmother was conscious and was able to relate what had happened. The man declared that a doctor at the institution had told him that the only reason why the skin was peeling was that the sulfur content in medication administered to her was too high.
When contacted, the Medex at the Wales Dispensary, who declined to give her name had told this newspaper that she had learnt of the woman’s death and stated that after being given medication the first time, Haniff suffered an allergic reaction.
She said that on Thursday, Haniff had come in and complained of diarrhoea and vomiting and she had been given tablets for these and also an oral rehydration liquid.
The medex said that the following day Haniff returned, complaining of an allergic reaction to the drug and said that she was itching all over and thus she ordered the injection, Spiriton, which she said was used to treat allergic reactions.
She said that after that, Haniff left and she never saw her again.
The medex pointed out that “anyone can suffer an allergic reaction to a drug” and asserted that when questioned, Haniff’s daughter-in-law, who accompanied her on Friday said that she had also been given some tablets at home.
She said too that the matter needs to be further investigated before any blame is laid. Haniff was buried yesterday.
