Latest update March 29th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jul 10, 2014 News
…generator is fully functional
By Leon Suseran
The Doctor-in-Charge of the Mibikuri Hospital at Black Bush Polder on the Corentyne, has refuted the allegations in yesterday’s edition of the Kaieteur News captioned, ‘Mibicuri Hospital left in darkness after storm.’
Dr. Tariq Uddin and Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA), Michael Itwaru, sought to clear the air about the article which alleged that the hospital was “in disarray with a malfunctioning generator unable to provide electricity to the facility whenever there is a blackout.”
Uddin acknowledged that the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) electricity supply to the hospital was knocked out some time after noon on Sunday as a result of the freak storm that hit the area. However, the generator was operational as soon as night crept in.
Uddin said that the incident described was an isolated one as a result of the storm and such happenings are not regular occurrences at the facility.
”We have a manual Lister generator. I usually put it on personally. If I am not there, the other doctor puts it on.”
Dr. Uddin added, “The generator was fully functional when the storm hit; it functioned until 12 in the night that Sunday.” It is usual for them to switch the generator off around midnight since the patients are asleep at that time, and standby lamps are available for use by the nurses should any need arise.
Additionally, in the case of any emergency, the generator can become operational again during the wee hours of any morning of any day.
He did note, though, that the generator was found to have a “minor” leak, “so that some fuel would drain from it.” This problem was discovered around 08:00 hrs the following day (Monday).
Dr. Uddin said, “I immediately put things in place and I called somebody in the area who fixes these things and asked him to inspect it.” The electrician inspected the engine and “before it got dark (on Monday), the generator was up and running.”
“During the day, we don’t really need power. The only thing we need power for is storage of medication, and we have ice- packs. Those were being used; we had back- up. There was absolutely no major effect of being without power during the day, and in the nights when we really needed the power, the generator was working.”
The doctor was upset that it was alleged that he had refused to leave his quarters to assist the nurses in the “pitch-black building.”
“I was never called because there was no situation. I live in the compound. Any single thing that happens, I am there, even if Dr. Moonsammy is on call. We look after everything together!”
Itwaru stated that the contents of the article were erroneous, “because electricity was available on Sunday evening at the institution—at least up to 12 am.”
“It could function (after 12) but they [the hospital staff and patients] do not need it after, so the patients would have to sleep and at 22:00 hrs the staff would make their checks, administer medications and such, and then they would take it off because they have other lights to back- up. In case they need it [the generator] back, they would put it on—it is a key- start [generator].”
A nurse at the facility said that she did not need the generator during the day. “We have ample lighting and so on during the day. I was on duty on Monday up to 19:00 hrs and it was put on when the place got dark.”
Uddin denounced allegations, too, that, “nurses and patients alike are forced to endure the horrendous condition that presents itself.”
He noted that the facility is well- equipped with materials and drugs to deal with surgeries and emergency situations.
The official stated that the facility is equipped with several rechargeable lights, and not one lamp as the article suggested. He provided proof. “All of them are functional—every single one of them—and they are fully charged!”
He said that at no time would nurses have needed to use their cell- phones and torchlights to illuminate their work area.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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