The Ministry of Health has launched an investigation into the death of a police constable after he had received injections for chicken pox and subsequently taken filarial pills.
This was disclosed by Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony yesterday during his COVID-19 update where he stated that the investigation was launched so as to ascertain the facts before a pronouncement is made.
The police on Tuesday evening had reported that police constable Rockliff Cozier who was stationed at the Regional Police Division #4 ‘B’ died just after 6pm. They had stated that initial investigations revealed that the officer who was infected with chicken pox allegedly received two injections for it around 08:30hrs and subsequently around 14:30hrs took the pills which are being distributed to treat filaria.
The health minister during his update stated, “We heard that two vaccines were given to this person and at the same time he also took the filarial tablets, I don’t know at this point in time whether that is indeed so but we will have to investigate it.”
He also informed that a team from the Ministry of Health and the Pan Ameri-can Health Organization are collaborating to retrieve all the documents relating to the incident to carry out their investigation.
“Generally when we review the safety profile of say, the filarial tablets, you’re not supposed to have any adverse effects like this and therefore in my view it might be purely coincidental,” Anthony opined.
To this end he advised that the investigation must be allowed to take its course and will be review-ed by experts who will be able to report on the findings.
It was previously reported that while in the barracks at the Grove Police Station, the police constable collapsed and was subsequently rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospi-tal in an unconscious state. Cozier then suffered two seizures and subsequently died.
