Police yesterday said they had arrested a man in connection with Wednesday’s attack on two nurses attached to the Wismar Hospital during which one of them was raped.
A release from the police said that the man was arrested at about 9 pm on Saturday at One Mile, Wismar.
Stabroek News understands that the man was arrested while liming under a tree. Residents yesterday reported that they had been very fearful of the man since he was released from prison in February of this year. Some said that since the incident involving the nurses the man has been sighted passing by the residence of one of the two nurses.
Meanwhile, nurses at the two hospitals yesterday vowed to continue their strike even though the man was arrested. They said that while they are happy that an arrest has been made they cannot be sure that the right person is in custody.
The nurses told Stabroek News that they have several demands that must be met before they return to duty, among which is the removal of the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Gordon Gumbs, since according to them he is not very supportive of their cause.
The nurses are also calling for the permanent presence of an armed police officer along with the regular security at both institutions and that both police stations at Wismar and Mackenzie must have sufficient ranks on duty especially at nights. They said that on many occasions whenever there is need for a police presence only one rank is at the post.
Nurses said that they are expecting an audience with Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy tomorrow morning.
The nurses said that during a meeting on Friday regional officials were trying to negotiate the resumption of duty by some of the main nurses including midwives but to no avail. At that time there was an emergency which required the transfer of a pregnant woman to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). There being no nurse midwife, a hospital official insisted that the ambulance attendant accompany the patient. “No way could an ambulance attendant accompany such a case without a nurse. So they refused. However in the interest of the patient a third year medical student went along,” a nurse said.
The officials in their negotiation had committed on a temporary basis, a bus to take night nurses to and from their homes and one armed guard at the facility but they were unsuccessful.
Speaking with Stabroek News yesterday Chairman of Region 10 Mortimer Mingo said that he was very concerned about the service to residents. He said that he had inquired from the hospital’s CEO about outpatient care at the Wismar Hospital. “I feel strongly that residents need to be informed officially about the system of care at this time. There should be a public notice to this effect.”
Speaking on the issue of security for the hospital, its staff and patients, Mingo said that arrangements implemented through the Ministry of Health are grossly inadequate even at its best. Investigations revealed that the ministry had arranged to have an armed guard taken from his regular post at the RDC building on a 12-hour shift and placed at the Linden Hospital Complex. It was also confirmed that no outpatient care was being done at the Upper Demerara Hospital.
