Diamond Hospital shouldering bulk of COVID-19 Cases but gets all the bashing -Doctors complain

Speaking on behalf of the other colleagues, the doctor said the same meals that are shared with the patients are shared with the medical team on duty. The Doctor admitted that while some times the meals might not be up to one's dietary preference, some patients have been exaggerating the situation because they don't really want to be in isolation.

Diamond Hospital shouldering bulk of COVID-19 Cases but gets all the bashing   -Doctors complain

With 49 of the 64 active coronavirus cases in Guyana housed at the Diamond Hospital, the medical institution has found itself shouldering the bulk of positive cases in the country.

But over the past week, some patients have complained in letters to the press about the food they are served and other circumstances they have to endure at the facility itself.

In one letter, a patient complained about the nutritional value of the meals served for breakfast which at times would include whole wheat sandwiches and boiled provision with sausages or other stews.

Now some Doctors at the hospital believe they are being vilified in the media and many of the stories are not fully accurate.

One of the Doctors reached out to News Source on the condition of anonymity and explained that while the situation at Diamond may not be at its best, it is certainly not the worst.

It was explained that there are three teams of medical personnel who work with isolated coronavirus patients.

Each team is made up of three doctors and one nurse. The teams would each have to work seven days straight at the hospital. During those seven days on duty, they would live in at the hospital and be responsible for everything related to the coronavirus patients.

Speaking on behalf of the other colleagues, the doctor said the same meals that are shared with the patients are shared with the medical team on duty. The Doctor admitted that while some times the meals might not be up to one’s dietary preference, some patients have been exaggerating the situation because they don’t really want to be in isolation.

“We are the ones who serve the meals and we wake very early and always share those meals on time and before we eat ourselves. We share to the patients, we take care of them and then when we are done with that, then we would sit and take our meals”, the medical practitioner explained.

The Doctor said at the Diamond Hospital they have had to sacrifice a lot to care for the patients and they do so with little appreciation and understanding and the same goes for the cleaning staff.

“Cleaners here work hard as well. They have to clean this entire facility every day as well as clean the linens used by the patients and scrubs used by medical staff and empty garbage and they do so that hard work in full protective gear”.

The Doctor said the staff at Diamond Hospital have been on the ground working “extremely hard” with the patients and sacrificing being at home with their own families, yet they are the ones who face the brunt of the criticism from the patients when many of those criticisms should be directed at higher authorities.

According to the Doctors, while it may just be a small number of patients who complain, it makes it appear as if the medical teams are not doing a good enough job.

It was also noted that most of the support for the medical teams fighting COVID-19 goes to the Georgetown Hospital and the praise goes there too while it is the Diamond Hospital that has to deal with the largest number of patients.

“We are shouldering the bulk of the weight with the least resources, but we are getting the worst reviews and all the praises go to the GPHC”, the Doctor remarked.

Coronavirus patients are housed at the Diamond, West Demerara and Georgetown Hospital with the Diamond Hospital always managing the most cases since the first case in Guyana was reported.

The Georgetown Hospital caters mostly for the more serious patients and those who might require intensive care.

Half of the patients who have recovered from the Coronavirus in Guyana were patients at the Diamond Hospital.

The Public Health Ministry is being called upon by those on the frontline to ensure proper systems are in place for patients and the Doctors and nurses responsible for their care.

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