Davenand Nauth, the carpenter whose leg was amputated as a result of poor medical care after a road accident, died early yesterday morning at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), where he was a patient of the Male Surgical Unit.
Nauth’s sister, Sita Ramsahoye, told this newspaper that he passed away around 5am yesterday before his mother, Shirley Persaud, could have visited him during the official visiting hours.
Prior to his death, his family was awaiting financial assistance from the Ministry of Health to cover the cost of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to determine the extent of his injuries, since he was experiencing numbness from below his chest to his feet.
Although doctors at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) initially told Nauth, 47, that his injuries were not serious, he was eventually referred to the Georgetown Hospital, where it was discovered that he had developed gangrene in his left leg, resulting in it being amputated.
Nauth, of 71 New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara was riding his bicycle on August 4 along the public road when he was struck down by a speeding car. He was later treated at the WDRH, where he was told by the doctors that his injuries were “nothing serious” on three occasions.
The WDRH and the Medical Council had launched an investigation into the case.
Region Three health officer Dr. Ravindranauth Persaud on Monday said that the region was aware of the case and along with the Medical Council of Guyana is investigating it. “I am aware of it. As a matter of fact, it was brought to my attention on Wednesday and I referred it to Georgetown and we are aware of the allegation and we are currently investigating that,” he told Stabroek News.
“The Medical Council called us yesterday (Sunday) and asked us if we are investigating that and we said yes and they ordered us to have reports from all the doctors that looked after him and we are in the process of getting that done and that will be ready by Wednesday and we will submit it,” he added.
