A mother is calling for answers after her one year old child passed away at a city hospital following questionable care.
Nolene Williams told Stabroek News that a post-mortem report showed that the cause of her child, Mikhel Wong-Singh, died of bilateral bronchopneumonia, acute gastroenteritis, anemia and tonsillitis.
The still grieving mother said the history of issues with the health of her now deceased toddler began on April 24, when she took him to a health centre along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, where she resides, after she noticed that he had a fever, shortness of breath and was not keeping his food down.
At that time, Williams stated, doctors told her that he had an issue with his tonsils. As a result, he was treated with Cloaxcillin Sodium suspension (an antibiotic used to treat a variety of bacterial infections) along with Paracetamol.
Subsequently, Williams said, her child’s condition worsened, which led her to then take him to the Diamond Regional Hospital on the East Bank of Demerara on April 27th, when she was told that her son should complete using the medication which the health centre had prescribed for seven days. However, she maintained that the medication did not help her child feel better.
Williams added that she then took her son to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), where they were directed to a COVID-19 station as she was told that some of her child’s symptoms were similar to those of COVID-19, as at that time he still had a fever along with nausea.
After further examination, she was again told that the child had an issue with his tonsils and as such she related to doctors there that he was treated with some medication from the previous visit. “So when they tell me ’bout de tonsil, I tell them I give he the medication and it aint working. The doctor say he gon’ give me a more stronger dose of the antibiotic,” she said while adding that she was told to give the child the medication for three days.
The distressed mother explained that she took her son home and his condition worsened, which caused her to then take him back to Diamond, where he was admitted tests were conducted. She noted that they stayed at Diamond for one night and the toddler was put on oxygen and saline. The following day, May 2, he was transferred to the GPH, where more tests were conducted. She was then later told that they would be taken to the COVID-19 station for him to be tested before he could be admitted in any ward and as a result they were forced to wait for hours. “Nobody ain’t come around to say well the doctor gon’ come and look after he or take the test. Till when he deh pon he last then them coming to say they gon carry he in ICU room because he need to settle,” Williams said while adding that the boy was not tested.
She noted that after he was taken to the ICU, he passed about an hour later on May 3rd at approximately 2 am. “That’s the first thing… If you have to take the COVID test before they admit you, that’s de first thing they should do when de patient go. You can’t wait up to the last to do them thing,” an emotional Williams said. She wants the relevant authorities to look into her child’s death as she believes that there was negligence in the care he received.
Stabroek News was unable to get a comment from the GPH on the case.