Dear Editor,
I am writing to express my deep concern and disappointment regarding the appalling conditions at Skeldon Hospital in Region Six. I have sent a letter to the Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony outlining my concerns. While the buck stops with the Ministry of Health, I believe that the Region 6 Regional Chairman, Regional Health Officer, and Skeldon Hospital Administrator should be held accountable for the terrible state of the hospital and the treatment of patients.
The people of Skeldon deserve better.
My sister was a bed-ridden critical-care patient at this hospital and my siblings and I visited her for one week at the end of July to the beginning August 2023. She would eventually die at this institution on August 23rd For the sake of the downtrodden in Skeldon, I believe it is my responsibility to bring the following issues to the attention of the public in the hope of prompt and effective resolution. The Skeldon Hospital has been an essential healthcare institution serving the residents of this region for many years. However, the current state of the hospital is nothing short of deplorable, and the deteriorating conditions are causing immense suffering and endangering the lives of the patients who depend on its services.
1. Shortage of Doctors, Nurses: One of the most pressing issues at Skeldon Hospital is the severe shortage of medical professionals, including doctors and nurses. Patients often have to wait for extended periods to receive medical attention, leading to worsening conditions and increased suffering. On many occasions there was one nurse servicing the emergency unit and the wards, and also in the evenings a single nurse ran the entire hospital.
2. Poor Doctor Communication/Attitude: The doctors at Skeldon hospital need to be properly trained in communicating with patients’ relatives. I saw the doctor in charge behave as though he was Lord of the domain, and failed to provide proper answers on being asked about various issues with my sister. When asked questions he complained about being harassed. Additionally, one of the doctors was literally hiding from my relatives.
3. Atrocious Patient Care: The responsibility for the day-to-day personal care of my sister fell on my relatives. The nurses refused to undertake this task and the doctor said it’s not their responsibility. Each morning while I was there, we found my sister lying in her urine and excrement. She had to be cleaned and changed by female relatives. My sister’s feeding tube had to flushed/cleaned by relatives.
4. No Dignity for Patients: The female ward is devoid of privacy. There are no curtains around the beds. To take care of my sister, relatives had to hold up bedsheets around her bed to provide privacy. Same was applicable to other female patients in the ward.
5. Lack of Medical Materials: The hospital seems to face a chronic shortage of essential medical supplies and equipment. We were asked to purchase our own medical supplies, including feeding bags and gauze. This dire situation compromises the quality of care provided at the hospital.
6. Poor Sanitation: The hospital’s sanitation and hygiene conditions are far from acceptable. Inadequate sanitation practices can lead to the spread of infections among patients, undermining the very purpose of the healthcare facility. The female ward has a foul smell; the floor appears unclean; no running water during various periods; and the bathroom sinks are discoloured etc.
7. Lack of Proper Patient Conveyance: There are no ramps at the hospital to get to the wards. Patients have to be (physically) lifted up staircases by their relatives from the emergency to the wards. Again, this task is left to relatives as invariably there are no porters at the hospital.
8. Lack of Equipment and Supplies: Patients have to bring their own bed covers, blankets and pillows. In the female ward there are no fans so patients/relatives have to
provide their own. The oxygen tank being used by my sister had a gauge that was held together by cloth and adhesive bandage. The hospital beds and wheelchairs are all old and have seen better days. Sharps are thrown into the regular garbage.
9. Lack of Potable Water: Patients have to bring their own drinking water. There is a water fountain at the entrance of the female ward which has a bottle filled with brown water. I was informed that the bottle receives its refill from a pipe in the Skeldon Sugar Estate compound.
10. Fear of Victimization: Patients and relatives fear to speak up for their rights to proper medical treatment. Seems that history has shown that they can/are victimized by the medical staff and others when they do so. I implore, Minister Anthony, to take immediate and decisive action to address these critical issues at Skeldon Hospital. The residents of Region Six deserve access to quality healthcare services, and it is the duty of the Ministry of Health to ensure that this basic right is upheld. I urge him to allocate the necessary resources, including medical staff, supplies, and infrastructure improvements, to bring the hospital up to an acceptable standard.
Furthermore, I request that Minister Anthony’s office conducts a thorough investigation into the management and oversight of Skeldon Hospital to identify the root causes of these problems and hold those responsible accountable.
I look forward to seeing prompt and tangible improvements in the conditions at Skeldon Hospital.
Sincerely,
Jan Khan
