(Trinidad Guardian) A selfless and dedicated doctor, whose main objective was always to deliver quality health care to his patients, even at the risk of his own life, died yesterday.
Dr Shival Sieunarine, now entering the prime of his life at 33, was described as a “humble soul who was kind and gentle.”
He died on Saturday morning at the Accident & Emergency (A&E) Department of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope.
His death came hours after he was admitted with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and it is believed that a rapid deterioration of his condition led to his passing.
Sieunarine’s death came as the country faces a staggering surge of COVID-19 cases that has left the healthcare system on the brink of collapse.
The country recorded the highest number of daily new cases to date on Saturday since the pandemic began last year, at 402. A grave concern was the number of deaths recorded over a 24-hour period at seven—the second time this tally has been recorded since COVID hit our shores last year.
The doctor, a former Hillview College graduate, was previously employed by the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA)
Confirming that a young doctor did die hours after he was admitted to the EWMSC, North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) Chief Executive Officer Davlin Thomas extended condolences to Sieunarine’s family.
Other hospital sources close to the case claimed that when Sieunarine turned up at the hospital, “He came to us very sick.”
As news of Sieunarine’s death spread, friends took to social media to extend condolences to his family and also expressed shock over the sudden death.
Many claimed not to be aware that Sieunarine had been ill. However, some family members claimed he started experiencing viral symptoms earlier in the week.
Sieunarine operated a private practice in Tunapuna and was described as a “selfless and humble soul.”
A female patient remembered him as, “Someone who would do anything for anyone…a humble person who was never concerned about money.”
Another person on Facebook, who had gone to school with Sieunarine said, “Gosh…he was one of the kindest and gentlest persons I knew throughout my UWI days till now…”
When Sunday Guardian contacted NWRHA CEO Salisha Baksh, she said while Sieunarine had been a medical intern at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital at a point in time, “He was not employed at NWRHA at the time of his death.”
Uncertain as to who was his employer, she said, “I received unconfirmed information he was no longer employed in the public healthcare system.”