Georgetown, GINA, April 4, 2008

In response to claims of physical and racial abuse of a patient by staff of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said investigations have found the allegations to be unsubstantiated and untrue.
A press release issued by the Ministry of Health said, “The investigation has revealed that Mrs. Charmian De Mendonca’s claims of physical abuse were nothing more than routine techniques of physical examination consistent with her injuries.”
It was alleged by De Mendonca that a doctor hit her in the stomach and scratched her foot with a key. The release said, “The patient was seen by the doctor at the Accident & Emergency Unit on March 26, 2008 at 14:20 h and at the time of her examination, it was uncertain whether she was unable or unwilling to speak. Pressure on the sternum was to elicit response to pain and arousability and scratching of the foot with the key was to obtain a certain neurological reflex.”
There was a claim that racial slurs were uttered to De Mendonca by the doctor. However, security personnel on duty and several other persons who were around at the time of the alleged incident refuted these claims.
Minister Ramsammy at a press conference today reiterated that such conduct would not be tolerated from members of staff in the execution of their duties.
He added that it was also found that the patient’s behaviour was unacceptable. “We will not tolerate abuse of the staff,” he said.
He stressed the point that at health facilities patients and their families cannot demand certain medical services be done unless this has been requested by doctors.