…residents call for removal from township
A mother of a sick child at the town of Mabaruma in Region One got the shock of her life on Saturday morning when a doctor on duty at the Mabaruma Regional Hospital refused to treat her son over a Facebook post he accused her of making back in April this year that was critical of his wife.
The woman, Judith Valenzuela, said that she went to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital with her seven-year-old son whom she noted was vomiting continuously. ” To my surprise I was called into a room just to be asked about a post that I posted in April about how I had been mistreated,” she said.
The woman said the doctor called her into a room and after reminding her about the post, she told him she was not there to discuss anything but rather, to ensure her son received medical attention. The male doctor was reportedly angered by a Facebook post the woman made about the treatment she received at the hospital back in April from his wife, who is also a doctor at the hospital.
“Hhe said I am not looking at none of your family because y’all is a set of horrible people and I will not look at you,” the woman alleged, noting that the doctor seemed very revengeful as he spoke. He also called a nurse to witness his tirade. ”This doctor behaved very ignorant in front of my child, “ Valenzuela said of Saturday’s incident, adding that he even told her to post Saturday’s incident on Facebook as well.
She said since no one was willing to attend to her, she began to cry and she then picked up her son and caught a bus and left for a pharmacy at the business community at Kumaka where she purchased tablets to treat her son.
The woman, who is a single mother, said her son was visibly traumatised by the incident. “He said mom how I get vex that man was talking up in your face they does feel hurt when things like this happen,” the woman said.
Following Saturday morning’s incident, residents of the town have called on the Ministry of Health to relocate the husband/wife duo from the hospital, some citing the revengeful actions of the male doctor. The woman said she complained to Deputy Mayor of Mabruma, Carolyn Robinson who promised to look into her concerns. Attempts to get a comment from Regional Health Officer Dr Stephen Cheefoon were futile as his phone went to voicemail. In recent weeks, several patients have complained about the harsh treatment meted out to them by doctors at the Mabaruma Hospital. At least two maternity patients, both of whom suffered miscarriages within the past month have accused the hospital of being responsible for the deaths of their unborn.
