Determined to Serve

—PCA Marcus Fraser—

MARCUS Kenton Fraser jumped at the opportunities to serve – even at the risk of his 22-year
existence.
The Patient Care Assistant (PCA) works at the Diamond Hospital, one of Guyana’s isolation
centres which caters for the more than 6,000 confirmed patients who contracted the deadly
COVID-19 virus in the multi-racial, South American, sole English-speaking country.
“I took the opportunity as I felt that as a health worker this is part of what I had entered the
profession to do and that is to help take care of the sick. If we don’t do it who would? It was
because of this belief that I volunteered even though I was not sure what to expect because like
others, I didn’t know much of the disease at the time,” Fraser recalled.
Fraser grabbed the first opportunity he got to help COVID-19 patients though, in retrospect, he
agreed he was playing Russian roulette with his youth because the tension and fear of the disease
was at its highest when he volunteered.
“I just couldn’t concede to their request. For me, if you had a family member sick with the
disease would you give up, I would asked? Many admitted that they wouldn’t so I told them that
serving in healthcare was like responding to my family. I remain committed and dedicated, thus I
couldn’t give up” the PCA said.
The usually soft-spoken young man has ambitions moving up in the ranks in the health sector
remains passionate about his profession which brings him the greatest satisfaction when helping
his patients.
“I want to continue playing a part in helping people every day as healthcare is what I love. While
I am no doctor I feel equally as important as a doctor because without me as a healthcare
professional, the doctors can’t do it alone,” he reminded.

The PCA credited former Demerara/Mahaica (Region Four) Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr
Quincy Jones for his COVID-19 isolation unit. Jones, he said, queried whether he would venture
to serve at the centre set up in the Diamond Diagnostic Centre (DDC) compound.
“I told them that I was interested and immediately superiors pounced on the opportunity to
utilise my services. I guess they didn’t want to waste any time for fear that I may change my
mind,” he recalled amidst uproarious laughter.
The decision though, didn’t rest well with close relatives, especially his fiancé and his father
with whom he shared a close bond.
“When I told several close relatives including my girlfriend, they were all stressed out as they
feared the worst for me.”
“I repeatedly had to assure my girlfriend that I would be ok. My father though was not an easy
nut to crack as he was so fearful that it was as though I was about to commit suicide. He kept
rehashing all the negative stories that he was hearing about the disease. At the time there were a
lot of misinformation and myths and I had to keep reminding and educating them that while there
were some serious fears regarding the disease, there were also those who didn’t take the disease
seriously and expressing the view that because of Guyana’s tropical environment that it wouldn’t
last long in Guyana,” he related.
Repeated assurances to him that all required precautions and care would be taken and that there
isn’t anything for him to fear “won in the end,” he said.
His father would call him every day when he is on duty reminding him to take all required
precautions and that he loves him dearly. This, he said, helps him remember the ever-present
danger lurking in his work environment.

Under current arrangements he works for seven continuous days and has two weeks off which
allows him to quarantine according to current Ministry of Health guidelines. He admitted that
while he isn’t fearful, he was concerned about the reality that thousands of health care workers
around the world have reportedly died from the disease.

“He reminds me how much he loves me and is one of the biggest advocates for persons to take
the COVID guidelines seriously. He would also share his knowledge and information with
everyone he comes into contact with as he feels that the less persons who are infected will result
in less work and need for me at the isolation centre,” he said.
Family is dear to Marcus too – including his surrogate family at the Isolation Unit.
“Our team had at one time 36 patients. We had to go into every room to check on them and it
was back-breaking” said Marcus who has seven biological siblings which include six sisters.
The sweetest reward of working with patients afflicted with the deadly pandemic is witnessing
their discharge.
“I feel a sense of satisfaction after persons who are infected are able to leave after recovering,”
he said.
There were only seven COVID-19 fatalities in Guyana at the time of conducting this interview.
This has since soared to almost 160.