The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

Health Minister Renward Wells said yesterday his ministry has yet to receive any “direct” or “written” complaints from patients alleging mistreatment from staff at Princess Margaret Hospital or other medical facilities.

Still, he said health officials are investigating the claims.

“We’ve not received any direct complaints, written complaints but the ministry is looking into it. I know the staff at PMH had a meeting yesterday (Monday) on those kinds of circumstances on social media,” he told reporters ahead of a Cabinet meeting yesterday.

His comments come after several maternity patients took to social media over the weekend documenting their “unpleasant” experience at the hospital during and after childbirth amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some have alleged mistreatment and discrimination from nurses due to COVID-19 fears.

And one woman told The Tribune recently she is looking for answers after her 20-year-old daughter, who had COVID-19, died in Princess Margaret Hospital shortly after giving birth.

Similar allegations were made about other cases on Facebook.

Some on social media have even said they have written letters to health officials concerning their complaints but have yet to receive a response.

Responding to the claims yesterday, Mr Wells insisted that the only letter he received was from a mother requesting permission for her child to travel abroad for emergency medical treatment.

“I’ve not received any letter from any individual other than a mother whose child, that was recently delivered about a week ago, whose child needed emergency heart surgery and there was the opportunity made for this child to be able to go to the United States to be able to have that life-saving surgery,” he insisted.

“I signed off that letter as minister of health for the air ambulance to deliver that child. That child was delivered yesterday into Miami. That is the only letter I have received in regard to health care and health issues.”

He added: “But let me say, the issues that we see in social media, obviously anyone who has a heart as the prime minister would say. . .your heart would go out too, there’s that sense of compassion.

“And you know as a father and as a husband who has lost children, just seeing the story brought back my own circumstances and as such PHA, I believe the managing director would have spoken to the issue and to the fact that we’re looking into it.”

Mr Wells also reminded the Bahamian public “to keep in mind” that the country’s healthcare system is being strained. However, he said it never bodes “well” with him whenever he hears about someone losing their life.

“…I think the Bahamian people also ought to keep in mind that given where we’re at, the staff itself within the medical community throughout the country both in the public and private sector is stretched you know,” he said.

“Hearing the kind of things that we’re hearing in regards to the loss of life, it doesn’t sit well with them and it certainly doesn’t sit well with me and we’re going to do all we can to continue to preserve the life of the Bahamians people.

“Doctors have taken the hippocratic oath which they seek to always in every circumstance that they do all that they can to ensure that life continues.”

On Sunday, Public Hospital Authority managing director Catherine Weech told The Tribune that PHA was investigating all the allegations, insisting that the organisation does not take such claims lightly.

However, she said management must do its due diligence before putting out public statements on specific claims.