Anthony defends Infectious Diseases Hospital

HEALTH MINISTER DR. FRANK ANTHONY IS DEFENDING THE WORK of the
heavily-criticised Infectious Diseases Hospital treating the nation’s coronavirus patients.
The hospital faced fresh, sharp criticisms following the death of 56-year-old nurse, Vanessa
Maynard, who died less than two weeks after admission to the healthcare facility. Maynard
complained to relatives there were only four nurses at the hospital managing 64 patients.
Ms. Chelauna Providence, Public Relations Officer (PRO) at the Georgetown Public Hospital
Corporation (GPHC) denied Maynard’s complaints noting there were less patients in the
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and there was twice the number of nurses usually on duty.
“At no point in time were there only 4 nurses in the facility. On the day that the vaccination
requirements were implemented the facility had a complement of 8 nurses on shift with 19
patients in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit),” Providence said in an earlier Demerarawaves report.
She also rubbished the 1:16 nurses-to-patient ratio claimed by Maynard, who later died at the
infectious diseases’ facility.
“With the increase in admissions over the past few days, we’ve had in excess of 20 nurses
working per shift daily. As of yesterday (September 09) 18 additional nurses have been
reassigned to the ocean view facility to assist with the management of patients. This is in
addition to 9 additional doctors who have joined the current complement of 13 doctors who work
per shift,” Providence had assured the media.
When he spoke on the matter to Guyanese on the ministry’s daily ‘Update’, minister Anthony
said there are different levels of staff available to patients, including nurses and doctors, and
physical therapists for those recovering.

“More than 55 doctors that work there, and they care for approximately 120 patients on
average,” the minister said.
“We do have physical therapy staff to work with those people who are recovering, so there are
different levels of staff for different categories of people. And I think they have been doing a
tremendous job because a lot of the persons who come to that facility are really sick, and
especially those that require ICU care,” Anthony said.
He said health ministry staff are assigned to liaison with patients “preferred contact” among their
families so they could be updated.
“One of the complaints that we’ve been getting is that people, when they try to make contact
with … relatives, they sometimes don’t get through. We have assigned a staff to reach out to the
relatives of the patients who are there,” Dr. Minister Anthony noted.
Some 160 persons are hospitalised across the country with COVID-19. Of this figure, 84 are
currently at the Ocean View facility, with 30 of them in the ICU.
The health minister said remaining cases treated at other regional hospitals across the
country.