Dear Editor,
I do not know the facts of what transpired but what I do know is that two beautiful children, three-year-old Roshnie Seegobin and Corwin Edwards are now dead. A third beautiful angel, six year-old Sherezer Mendonca, is fighting for her life in the intensive care unit.
Editor my heart bleeds for their parents. No parent should ever have to bury their child. No parent ever anticipates burying their children.
GPHC has problems. Serious problems. These problems are not new. I have been saying this for years. The PPP had 23 years to addressed them but turned a blind eye. Instead politicising GPHC and the wider health service. I read Dr. Ramsammy’s letters yesterday, in both the Kaieteur News and Stabroek News, chastising the Government like if this is new. I suggest they both be balanced for a change and publish my opposing but more rational letter. Anyway, this is disingenuous of Dr. Ramsammy and another desperate attempt to score cheap political points off this tragedy and many other issues affecting the healthcare system. Reading Dr. Ramsammy’s missive one would get the impression that under PPP, GPHC was world class, comparable to the Mayo Clinic, in America. It was of such high standards that all Ministers under PPP utilised the local health service. Jagdeo’s medical jet sat idle at the CJIA since he too utilised the local health service for his diarrhoea among other ailments. Dr. Ramsammy abandoned paying his health insurance in America since it became redundant in view of the first class health services in Guyana which he also utilised. What Dr. Ramsammy is in effect suggesting is that the coalition Government, in four years, destroyed the PPP’s good work. Are you serious Dr. Ramsammy?
I will repeat that this problem is not new and the PPP should shoulder most of the blame for their inaction, politicisation and corruption of the health service over 23 years. This Government is not blame free but it will take more than four years to reverse 23 years of mismanagement. I would humbly suggest they heed my many pieces of advice for focusing on the simple and leaving the complex until the health service is fully prepared and ready for the complex.
Rather than his desperate attempts at scoring cheap political points Dr. Ramsammy should have suggested what he would have done differently if he were at the helm. Frankly, I don’t think he knows judging from the many unanswered disasters in the health service under his watch.
An adverse drug reaction apparently occurred. The name of the drug is being kept a secret. The reason why this drug is being kept a secret is unknown but clearly illogical. The names of all drugs with adverse reactions should be immediately made public. That is the international standard and it is there for a good reason. To inform other hospitals to avoid the drug until such time as the reason behind the adverse reaction is identified. Keeping the name of the drug a secret, especially when two children have died can lead to the death of others at other institutions that were not forewarned.
Then GPHC is investigating the deaths. That’s commendable but not enough. The Government should also have an independent body investigating serious adverse drug reactions, serious adverse reactions on medical devices, defective medicines and fake medicines and devices. As a matter of fact this independent body should have been set up during the PPP’s 23 years of managing the health service. Why this never happened Dr. Ramsammy?
The data collected should be reported to the companies producing the medicines and the devices with a view of the company disseminating the information worldwide. In the UK, we have the electronic yellow card scheme of reporting such clinical incidents which are investigated and disseminated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The manufacturer or a medical specialist may also investigate the problem depending on how serious it is, then report to MHRA. I am sure there are similar processes in America but Dr. Ramsammy would not know that since he is not a medical doctor. Definitely all deaths apparently due to drugs or medical devices would be investigated by MHRA. Investigation is not to apportion blame but to learn from mistakes which will be disseminated with a view to inform future practise and reduce the risk of it happening again.
Finally, for the two angels that are now sleeping. RIP. To their parents. No one can feel your pains. We can only sympathise. Do not let your children’s deaths be in vain. Start a charity in their names. Start a campaign. Do something in their names. Doing that may help in the healing process which may be indefinite. For the little angel in intensive care, I pray you have a speedy and a complete recovery.
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Mark Devonish MBBS MSc MRCP(UK)
FRCP(Edin)
Consultant Acute Medicine
Nottingham University Hospital