Health Minister In hiding From female amputee

PADMINI MC CRAE, THE 56-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHOSE LEG WAS AMPUTATED
AFTER A SERIES OF MISHAPS FOLLOWING A MIS-DIAGNOSIS OF COVID-19 BY
A PRIVATE HOSPITAL, is deeply disconsolate by what she decried as the Ministry of
Health’s trashy treatment of her medical misfortune.
Mc Crae was wrongly diagnosed with the deadly Corona virus by Woodlands Hospital and was
transferred as a patient to the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal on the East Coast
Demerara which houses the COVID-19 patients. There, a gas bottle fell on her, severely injuring
her left foot causing her, first, to lose two toes, then eventually the foot.
Hospital authorities, she and her husband claimed, were not transparent with them, and now want
to treat her tragedy like a filthy rag – tossed from their presence.
When the Mc Crae contacted the Secretariat of Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, a female
identifying herself as Dr Anthony’s Secretary, was brusque and crude in her response, accusing
the distressed couple of trying to squeeze money out of Central Government because of her
mishap.
Two visits to Minister Anthony’s Lot 1 Brickdam, Georgetown office did nothing to soothe, heal
or remedy their pain, the amputee told www.aroundtheregions.com in an exclusive interview.
But for the tastelessly crude Secretary, the Mc Crae said they were ignored by Minister Anthony
and all his senior staff in the Secretariat.

One of the two negative COVID results that Padmini Mc Crae got
from GPHC[/caption]

“This isn’t fair. I have visited the Minister’s office twice (and) he or any of his senior staff has
reached out to me. All I have spoken to there is his secretary who has spoken to me in a certain
way and operated as though I am a beggar. If they see me as a beggar (it) is because they have
ruined my life, resulting in me being a beggar.”
“I am demanding that the Minister of Health reach out to me. I have no plans leaving the matter
as it is,” she assured.
The Mc Crae said the government of Guyana was responsible for her well-being while she was a
patient in the state-run health institution and cannot wash its hands or distance itself from the
catastrophe created its hired medical specialists.
“I was at the hospital there in their care. I know that it’s not a deliberate (act). At least they
should take responsibility. It could have happened to someone else and frankly I am sorry that
it’s me who is suffering now but the reality is that I lost my leg and it’s not coming back but at
least the Minister should have a heart and meet with me and my husband,” the dejected woman
reasoned.
“Why hasn’t the Minister said something?” she queried.
As the subject Minister, Anthony should “explain to us so that we can understand as he has his
two legs and I guess because we are not important people within society the minister doesn’t
care.”
“Would he have remained so silent if this had happened to his immediate family, relative or one
of his friends? Why are we forced to meet with a secretary who is as heartless as them?” the
woman asked.
Minister Anthony has distanced himself from controversies in his Ministry since he was
appointed to the key post in August 2020 by the Irfaan Ally administration.
Nurses at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) in Upper Demerara/Berbice (Region Ten) have
been on months-long industrial action following accusations of sexual indiscretion by the Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Rudy Small.
Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mr. Mark Philips, and Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan
Edghill, have each spoken publicly on the industrial dispute in the health sector

Anthony has muzzled himself.
His silence on the Mc Crae gut-wrenching medical mishap and the future troubles the family
will be forced to endure is therefore consistent with his attitude and unstated policy to his
portfolio.
The couple expected some form of financial assistance from the government through the
Minister’s Personal Assistant (PA) but all they received from her was “a large roll of gauze” the
astonished husband relayed to www.aroundtheregions.com
“I was almost speechless. When my wife and I was sent to her (PA), I thought that
something would have worked out so that we can get some help. But to our surprise all she
gave us was a large role of gauze for her to dress her amputated leg, nothing more,” the
stunned husband said.
“The Ministry of Health is really unreasonable. We asked for someone to visit home to assist in
dressing my wife’s foot, because I am self-employed and have to leave very early in the
mornings and they have not consented. We asked for a wheel chair and yet again they couldn’t
give us that. It’s like they have decide that they will not give us anything. From how they are
operating it’s like my wife created this thing upon herself. We will not sit by and allow this to
happen to us,” Mr. Mc Crae emphasised.
The Mc Crae are beginning to feel like there is a conspiracy in the health sector to punish them.
They said there is virtually no assistance, and complete silence when they ask questions about
some of the things she suffered while at the specialist health institution.
“Dr (Tracey) Bovell (of the GPHC) can’t explain how my wife got these bruises on her wrists
only telling us that the nurse will explain. The Minister’s Secretary thinks that we are nobodies
in how she treated us and yet the minister has not seen it fit to call and say something, to even
give us hope or some comfort, is this how you treat your citizens? I have taken care of my wife
for the past 34 years of marriage because I love her dearly and will love her. If they don’t care
about her, I do! I feel hurt,” a visibly upset Mc Crae said.

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