HORROR OF HOSPITALIZATION

WELCOME TO THE URBAN LIFE, WHERE DOCTORS DEAL LESS WITH HOSPITALIZATION OF PATIENTS AND MORE WITH HOSPITALITY BETWEEN THEMSELVES

I had always heard about the decaying health care system in Trinidad and Tobago but was fortunate enough to never experience it. That is, until Wednesday 3^rd April 2013. Long story short, I became severely ill and had to be carded to the Couva District Health Facility. I arrived shortly after 8 pm… to an empty health centre. I thought, “The Gods must be smiling upon me! No patients! I will breeze through here J!” It didn’t last long. I had arrived during shift change. I sat, twiddled my thumbs, trying my hardest to stay alive. Finally I was called to the nurse. It was now about twenty to nine. I saw the nurse and then had to wait for the doctor…again. I assumed that he was with a patient. After a few minutes waiting, I heard boisterous talking and laughing and joking. “Maco-ing slightly”, I saw a few nurses, two security guards and the doctor, engaged in joyous celebrations. While I sat dying. Alone. Some ten minutes later the crowd of workers dispersed and again hope filled my heart. I must be next! I smiled at the lady next to me, pitying the wait she now had. If my illness didn’t kill me, I was sure a heart attack would. The doctor came and called the lady by name, hugged her and asked, “What’s the issue tonight?” My wait was far from over. Later I learnt that that was one of his patients from his private practice. When I was finally called at about ten past ten, I was half asleep, half dead.

My diagnosis was, “I’m not sure. I’d have to refer you to San Fernando. Carry this letter with you. And I’d give you some antibiotics and painkillers. Go Sando as soon as possible.”

Skip to Friday 5^th April 2013. After much prodding from my mother to go, I arrived at the hospital at 10 am. I was registered at 10.50 am. Called to Accident and Emergency at 11am. Saw a doctor at 4.30 pm.  Had the IV tube inserted into my hand (sans IV!) at 4.45pm. Warded at 7.15pm. Saw another doctor at 11.25pm. Discharged at 12.03am! I looked at the doctor. My parents were long gone and I definitely could not have travelled home. I was given a bed at 12.37am, had the IV tube removed at about 7.15am after begging for about ten minutes and finally left the next morning at about 8am.

And I must stress that, I WAS GIVEN NO TREATMENT FOR MY AILMENT. I must thank God for being alive today to blog this.

(My hospital cards)

The state of disrepair in the health system is unbelievable. The physical building is dirty and very unsanitary especially considering that there are people there trying to heal. The doctors and nurses seem too complacent in their positions. The saw more fraternization between nurses and doctors than I ever saw between friends at UWI. Their camaraderie is commendable, but at the expense of what…of whom? The chatting may build work relations but slow down the system. Instead of treating the sick as soon as possible, they leave people there suffering only to ward them later on when hospitalization may not have even been necessary.

Why is this important to urban life? Good urban cities are defined by many things, one of them being excellent services, especially health care, for the citizens. San Fernando one of two cities in Trinidad and boasts of many achievements. Health care, is not, CANNOT, be one of them. Trinidad and Tobago as a whole is trying to achieve first world status. If we must satisfy certain requirements of the Human Development Index (HDI), then we have a long way to go in term of health care.

The newspapers, the reporters, they always have something to say about the health care system in T&T. It’s time for the persons in charge to look up and shape up. The problems that plague the system are not limited to only a lack of beds. It’s also a lack of medication in the hospitals and health centres. That makes the CDAP programme useless. It’s the lack of proper diagnoses for patients or the lack of treatment for the issues at hand. It’s the lack of respect the doctors and nurses have toward patients. It’s the lack of proper sanitation within the hospital walls.

(San Fernando General Hospital)

Each administration that comes into government and fails to acknowledge these issues, fails the people. Every time a patient dies due to negligence, the government should be catapulted into action.

A healthy population is a productive population and this productivity will manifest in every other sphere in Trinidad. In urban centres, where population density is high, the chances for medical calamity are also high. If a contagious disease breaks out, the percentage of people that may contract it may skyrocket if preventative measures are not rapidly put into place. And what would be our position then? The health care system may very well collapse due to the volume of people. Do we need to wait for calamity to fix a problem that should not even exist? 

My story is only one of many experienced by the people of this country.  There are problems that need to be addressed, and quickly.

The San Fernando Teaching Hospital is meant to train doctors and absorb some of the excess from the San Fernando General Hospital. It is expected to open its doors in the coming months and help thousands of people. But, if we don’t pay attention, we’d end up in the same position that we are in right now. We need to take the opportunity to teach the doctors how to doctor while we have the chance. It’s not only about the number of medical terms you know and the number of patients that don’t die under your care. It’s about treating people in the right way at the right times to lessen pain and reduce undue stress on both parties. And from there, the health care system may start to turn right around and once again people will have faith in the system. 

Source: www.news.gov.tt