That day, registering a most indelible impression, could be recalled with astonishing accuracy, like if it were yesterday. For the day, harrowing as excruciating, depicted a woman of 30, lying distressed on the floor of her shanty abode, acutely in need of medical attention. However, despite its gravity, medical attention wasn’t forthcoming, as the mother of five debilitated with abdominal pain, had to wait inordinate hours before being transported to GPHC.
But GPHC stood remorselessly uncaring, for even though her presentation screamed emergency, the ER doctor increasingly impatient with the expectedly confused responses, retired to his chair, leaving her to brave a fated death. Then, with her demise all but certain, acute appendicitis was thoughtlessly scribbled, mandating a surgical referral to continue the uncaring incompetence.
And it was with uncaring incompetence, the surgical incision was made, only to be confronted by an abdomen bloated with blood, rather than the anticipated appendicitis pus. Then, with the opened abdomen focusing minds, belated was the realisation, the mother of five wasn’t moribund by acute appendicitis, rather her abdomen was only blood, consequent of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Which means, had the ER doctor or surgeon competently cared, a simple pregnancy test, standing between life and death, would’ve been requested. But tragically, that wasn’t the case, as the mother of now five orphaned boys, registered her last breath, to have a most lonely death on her 31st birthday.
Thus, it’s in this mournful context, though decades apart, that a comparative scrutiny is undertaken of PPP healthcare, which has dreadfully failed yet another patient, 22yrs old Ronicia Niles. For Ronicia’s brother offering credible testimony, informed she has had lifelong asthma, punctuated by episodes of difficult breathing. And it was one such episode, that saw a breathless Ronicia reluctantly seeking medical attention at Diamond Hospital. But acutely breathless and unable to speak, a frustrated Ronicia of a clear mind, communicated through gesticulations, evidencing her brain was being adequately oxygenated, only possible with oxygen saturation of at least 95%.
Which means, PPP healthcare compelled to respond, communicated a most conflicting narrative, arguing on arrival, Ronicia reported to triage, severe difficulty breathing of hours duration. Then, contradicting their prior narrative, PPP healthcare described Ronicia as being critical on arrival, with severely low oxygen saturation of 32%.
However, if Ronicia’s oxygen saturation were 32%, she would’ve most certainly been unconscious, precluding the triage engagement, described by PPP healthcare. Moreover, Ronicia acutely breathless, but otherwise evidencing a clear communicative mind, infers an oxygen saturation, as previously explained, of at least 95%. In fact, Ronicia in severe respiratory distress should’ve never been triaged, rather post-haste transferral to the Resus Area, assuming there was one, ought to have been undertaken for emergency treatment.
Nevertheless, further calamity awaited, with Ronicia having had an inevitable cardiac arrest, was resuscitated of sorts, then transferred to GPHC for Critical Care management. However, such unreason decision isn’t consistent with evidence-based practice, which informs, critical patients are most vulnerable during transfer. As a result, hospital-to-hospital transfer of such patients, with the inherent risks involved, should only be undertaken in circumstances when it’s absolutely necessary. Which means, with PPP characterising Diamond Hospital as ultra-modern, the expectation was, it has a functional Critical Care, where Ronicia could’ve been managed.
However, the evidence paints a most depressing picture, as Diamond Hospital, along with the other supposedly ultra-modern hospitals constructed under PPP, are collectively useless white elephants. For most unbelievably, Diamond Hospital, purportedly ultra-modern, doesn’t have a functional Critical Care or Specialist. In fact, after billions invested, Diamond Hospital, promoted as state of the art, is without critical, wall oxygen outlets. Which means, oxygen is shockingly delivered from shared portable cylinders, evidently in short supply, as was painfully displayed during Ronicia tragedy.
Therefore, Dr. Carpen’s assertion, PPP healthcare stands par excellence to the Caribbean, America and Canada, is deserving of an unequivocal repudiation, as is his misrepresentation of being an interventional cardiologist. In fact, even with innumerable oil trillions, this corruptly incompetent installed government has failed to develop the health sector, such that, it’s archaic today, as it was four decades ago. Thus, it’s for this reason, of an archaic health sector, that our loved ones will continue to suffer the fates of Ronicia and the mother of five: My beloved mother.
The article for appeared as “Tears Run Dry” on August 3, 2025
