Doctor lauds psychological, psychiatric staff support at GPHC

─ in fight against COVID-19-

The weight of the COVID-19 Pandemic continues to bear heavily on health professionals; however, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has put measures in place to help those most affected.

From psychological and psychiatric support to immediate access to social workers, health officials at the country’s premier public health institution can find help when needed.

Dr. Balram Doodnauth, Senior Registrar at the GPHC’s Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department, said the pandemic has brought with it increasing challenges for patients and staff members alike. He is, however, grateful for the hospital’s support system.

“The hospital administration has done a lot. At times it might not seem sufficient, because COVID is new and things are changing. But there are psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers that you can call if you are having mental challenges because of the whole thing. There are people you can reach out to. The hospital has put measures in place to protect both staff and patients,” Dr Doodnauth told the Department of Public Information (DPI) in a recent interview.

Dr Doodnauth said the psychological strain brought on by the pandemic, is enough to dampen the spirit of any medical professional. Staff members have however been putting their “best foot forward” and “going the extra mile” to make the system work.

The emergency doctor is urging the public to work with the health professionals since they cannot battle the pandemic alone.

“This is something that is affecting everybody. It is not just a health issue, there are a lot of economic issues that go along with it and if the general public from the smallest of persons to the highest of status can understand that no one is immune to this and at the same time, we, the healthcare professionals are in this huge battle, trying to keep people alive, to discharge people in the best of health, we need them to play their part as well,” Dr. Doodnauth stated.

He continued, “the hospital has been working and they have done a lot that they can to help us with the challenges. The entire world is dealing with it and things that we need will not come overnight, but hospital administration has been trying its best with us.”

Staff who come into contact with a COVID-19 positive patient are screened.

“Once you have been in direct contact with someone and you start to show symptoms, you are screened and await your results. if you use all of your PPE’s, once you take all your measures, chances of being infected may be less, but if you do present symptoms, there are systems where you get tested,” he said.

The Georgetown Public Hospital remains the hub of medical services and sees a massive influx of patients daily.