Latest update May 7th, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 05, 2020 News
In 2014, head of the Medical Council of Guyana, Dr. Vivienne Mitchell had recommended a system where local doctors be mandated to take routine examinations to keep them sharp.
The recommendation was one of several contained in a report by the official, following the death of a patient.
The patient, 74, died after a botched colonoscopy.
A scathing report which was leaked recently found a private hospital and two prominent doctors culpable, and they were told to settle the matter out-of-court with the family of Edward Subryan, the Enterprise, East Coast Demerara man who died.
The family has been seeking closure in the matter, but claimed that they abandoned efforts last year after being given the royal runaround by the Medical Council.
They said that representatives of the council kept telling them for a number of years that the matter was being handled at the council level.
“It is time for the Caribbean to emulate the USA which requires physicians to undergo periodic examinations in order to maintain their board certification,” Dr. Mitchell recommended in her report, a copy of which has been seen by Kaieteur News.
She proposed that refresher examinations be created for general physicians and specialists.
“This aims to ensure that physicians remain updated in their specialty,” the report said.
Both the private hospital and the Medical Council have been silent on the matter, not returning messages and requests for comments.
The two doctors in question are still in practice.
The family said they are now examining legal recourse and even contemplating releasing the document publicly to ensure that no other families suffer.
In January 2014, Subryan, from Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, was rushed to the private hospital after not feeling well. There was no internal bleeding and nothing serious.
Doctors ordered a colonoscopy. During the examination, which involved sending a camera via the rectum, the man’s colon was perforated.
The investigation by Dr. Mitchell blazed the doctors for not providing proper post-colonoscopy care. The repair of Subryan’s colon appeared not to have been done properly and he developed sepsis.
The family claimed they asked questions and were given different answers at different times.
He subsequently died.
According to the post mortem report, Subryan was found with the chest cavity filled with pus, a clear sign of sepsis.
Dr. Mitchell determined that the two doctors did not do proper post-colonoscopy checks and there were other records that should have been checked in keeping with proper medical procedures.
She also found that the two practitioners did not meet the standards of being doctors.
The Medical Council head also recommended disciplinary actions against the doctors.
It is unclear whether this was done.
What is known is that several families are now coming forward, claiming malpractice at a number of private hospitals.
Not only are patients being sent for tests they may not require, but there are claims on unnecessary operations. There are even accusations that two private hospitals are forcing mothers to undergo caesarian operations (c-sections) in a money-making racket. One c-section can cost $300,000 on average.
GRA catch EXXON trying to hunch GUYANA over 11 BUS dollars in one shot!!!!
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